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^^^ 


The 


i^L  J 


Apostles'  Creed 

,    By 
David  James   Burrell,   D.D.,   LL.D. 

Author    of    "We    Would    See    Jesus,"   "The    Home 
Sanctuary,"     "The    Evolution  of    a    Christian,"    etc. 


AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY 

Park  Avenue  and  Fortieth  Street 

New  York  City 


Copyright,  1915,  by 
AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY 


CONTENTS 

Section  I 

PAGE 

"  I  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of 
heaven  and  earth." i 

Section  II 
"  And  in  Jesus  Christ,  His  only  Son,  our  Lord."    47 

Section  III 

'*  Who  was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  born  of 

the  Virgin  Mary." TZ 

Section  IV 

"  Suffered   under   Pontius   Pilate,   was  crucified, 

dead  and  buried.     He  descended  into  Hell."    83 

Section  V 
"  The  third  day  he  rose  again  from  the  dead."     .   117 

Section  VI 

"  He  ascended  into  heaven  and  sitteth  on  the  right 

hand  of  God  the  Father  Almighty."    .     .     .125 


CONTENTS 
Section  VII 

PAGE 

"  From  thence  he  shall  come  to  judge  the  quick 

and  the  dead." i^y 

Section  VIII 
"  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost." i6i 

Section  IX 

"  The  holy  catholic  Church,  the  communion  of 

saints." 171 

Section  X 
"  The  forgiveness  of  sins." 203 

Section  XI 
"  The  resurrection  of  the  body." 213 

Section  XII 
"  And  the  life  everlasting :  Amen." 223 


VI 


The  voice  of  Monica 

Calls  to  thee  from  Paradise,  "Augustine,  come: 

Lo,  at  the  gates  of  day 

Thy  destined  home !  " 

What  though  the  tempest  roar 

In  fury  round  thy  Church's  tottering  wall? 

From  the  eternal  shore 

Her  voice  doth  call. 

The  Master  Architect 

Will  shield,  against  the  advancing  gates  of  Hell, 

The  Church  of  his  elect 

He  loves  so  well. 

He  died  to  lay  that  stone, 

Elect  and  precious,  bathed  in  his  life-blood, 

That  it  may  stand  alone 

Against  the  flood. 

In  waves  the  quicksands  swim: 

Fear  not  the  Syrtes'  shift,  the  tempest  shock: 

Thy  faith  is  built  on  Him 

Who  is  the  Rock. 

—  Saint  Augustine,  a.  d.,  430. 


Vll 


INTRODUCTION 

The  most  important  things  in  our  experience  are 
commonplace;  for  example,  home,  and  daily  bread, 
and  mother's  love.  We  are  sufficiently  informed 
about  them ;  yet  —  and  possibly  for  that  very  reason 
—  we  fail  to  appreciate  or  duly  emphasize  them. 

So  it  is  with  the  Ten  Commandments  and  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  which  we  have  repeated  ever  since 
we  learned  them  at  our  trundle-beds.  They  are  like 
coins  passing  from  hand  to  hand  until  they  lose  the 
image  and  superscription  of  the  king. 

In  like  manner  the  thoughtless  repetition  of  the 
Apostles'  Creed  is  likely  to  dull  our  apprehension  of 
the  tremendous  truths  involved  in  it. 

'Xet  it  be  observed,  at  the  outset,  that  the  Apostles' 
Creed  is  not  really  apostolic.  The  liturgical 
churches  hold  and  affirm  that  its  Twelve  Articles 
were  written  by  the  twelve  apostles,  each  of  them 
contributing  one.  The  most  careful  investigation, 
however,  has  not  traced  the  symbol  in  its  present 
form  beyond  the  year  450. 

Observe,  also,  that  it  is  not  inspired.*  There  is 
only  one  document  in  the  world  that  is  inspired; 
namely,  the  Bible,  which  claims  to  have  been  "  writ- 

*  In  the  original  the  word  inspiration  is  Theopnustia,  which 
means  literally  "  breathed  of  God." 

ix 


INTRODUCTION 

ten  by  holy  men  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Spirit 
of  God."  It  is  not  claimed  for  any  of  the  great 
formularies  of  the  Church  —  such  as  the  Nicene 
and  Athanasian  Creeds,  the  Westminster  Confes- 
sion of  Faith,  the  Heidelberg  Catechism  and  the 
Thirty-nine  Articles  —  that  they  were  written  in 
that  way. 

This  does  not  signify,  however,  that  the  Apostles' 
Creed  is  without  a  very  definite  value.  There  are 
good  and  sufikient  reasons  for  regarding  it  as  a 
most  important  contribution  to  the  spiritual  welfare 
of  the  Church  and  to  the  upbuilding  of  all  true  fol- 
lowers of  Christ. 

'  To  begin  with,  it  serves  as  a  Manual  or  Com- 
pcndiiini  of  Religious  Truth.  It  may  be  likened  to 
the  digest  of  the  Roman  Law  which  was  compiled 
in  the  sixth  century  by  order  of  the  Emperor 
Justinian  and  known  as  the  Justinian  Pandect.  No 
lawyer  would  for  a  moment  regard  this  corpus  juris 
civilis  as  a  substitute  for  the  great  body  of  the 
Roman  Law ;  but  it  serves  as  an  indispensable  guide, 
table  of  contents,  or  summary  of  it. 

So  the  Apostles'  Creed  is  not  to  be  taken  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  Scripture.  The  man  who  allows  a 
prayer-book  or  Confession  of  Faith  or  anything  else 
to  take  the  place  of  his  Bible  is  inviting  an  impover- 
ishment of  soul.  Our  Lord  said,  "  Ye  search  the 
Scriptures,  because  ye  think  that  in  them  ye  have 
eternal  life,  and  these  are  they  which  testify  of  me." 
The  two  things  here  indicated,  namely,  Christ  and 

X 


INTRODUCTION 

Life,  are  to  be  found  in  Scripture  as  at  the  foun- 
tain-head. 

•^The  probability  is  that  the  Apostles'  Creed  was 
originally  based  upon  the  baptismal  formula,  "  In 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost."  We  find  accordingly  that  it  falls 
naturally  under  three  heads.  First,  "  I  believe  in 
God  the  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven  and 
earth  " ;  second,  "  I  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  his  only 
Son,  our  Lord  " ;  and  third,  "  I  believe  in  the  Holy 
Ghost"  as  the  Executive  of  the  Church.  It  thus 
binds  us  to  an  implicit  faith  in  the  Triune  God  and 
to  all  the  great  verities  which  center  in  Him. 

It  is  valuable  also  as  a  Resultant  of  the  Con- 
troversies of  the  Early  Church.  The  first  centuries 
of  the  Christian  era  were  characterized  by  doctrinal 
debate.  The  Church  believed  but  had  not  as  yet 
fojjnulated  its  belief. 

'It  is  natural  that  we  should  lament  the  heresies 
of  our  time:  although,  in  point  of  fact,  there  is  no 
modern  heresy  which  was  not  current  in  those  early 
days.  The  denial  of  the  personality  of  God,  of  the 
deity  of  Christ,  of  the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  and 
of  the  truth  of  Scripture  were  all  discussed  pro  and 
contra  in  the  early  Councils ;  and  the  Apostles'  Creed 
marks  the  conclusion  arrived  at  by  the  fathers  in 
these  premises. 

It  does  not  follow,  however,  that  we  are  absolved 
from  the  individual  responsibility  of  determining 
upon  the  doctrinal  questions  at  issue.     Human  na- 

xi 


INTRODUCTION 

ture  must  be  reckoned  with  as  a  constant  factor  in 
the  disposition  of  things.  The  experience  of  the 
gray  fathers  does  not  prevent  the  children  from 
"  ganging  their  ain  gait."  It  is  always  in  order, 
therefore,  to  call  for  the  previous  question. 

\  The  fact  that  a  dwarf  —  the  Present  —  can  see 
further  than  a  giant  if  he  stand  on  the  shoulders  of 
the  Past,  is  no  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  a  willful 
schoolboy  who  insists  on  proving  the  axioms.  Tell 
him  that  a  straight  line  is  the  shortest  distance  be- 
tween two  points,  and  he  will  want  to  know  why. 
Tell  him  that  if  he  puts  no  confidence  in  the  self- 
evident  truths  of  geometry  he  will  never  reach  the 
Poiis  Asinorum,  and  he  will  persist  in  his  original 
investigations  as  ardently  as  many  do  who  place  no 
value  on  the  results  of  past  controversies  with  re- 
spect to  religious  truth. 

^  It  thus  appears,  further,  that  the  Apostles'  Creed 
is  valuable  as  a  Standing  Memorial  of  the  Ancient 
Faith.  It  is  the  foundation  upon  which  the  early 
Christians  built  the  superstructure  of  their  heroic 
lives.  Their  belief  is  here  reduced  to  its  lowest 
terms. 

A  subscription  to  this  formula  was  required  of 
novices  on  entering  the  Church.  Is  there  not  a 
peculiar  sacredness  in  a  document  with  such  asso- 
ciations? The  words  which  we  oftentimes  too 
lightly  and  thoughtlessly  repeat  fell  reverently  from 
the  lips  of  those  who  worshiped  in  catacombs  and 
lonely  conventicles  at  peril  of  life.  '  This  was  their 

xii 


INTRODUCTION 

confession  of  faith  as  they  passed  through  the  gate- 
way of  the  CoHsseum  to  be  "  ground  as  God's  fine 
wheat  by  the  teeth  of  Hons," 

"  Furthermore,  this  Creed  is  valuable  as  a  Per- 
manent Test  of  Orthodoxy.  I  am  aware  of  the  fact 
that  the  word  "  orthodoxy  "  is  offensive  to  many  in 
these  days.  It  has  been  put  in  the  stocks,  with  its 
face  smeared  with  phosphorus,  for  the  derision  of 
passers-by ;  nevertheless  it  is  a  blessed,  blood-stained 
word,  'It  means  "straight  teaching."  Why  then 
should  we  shrink  from  it?  The  word  is  a  synonym 
for  honesty  in  pulpit  and  pew,  since  it  stands  for 
loyalty  to  ordination  vows  and  fealty  to  the  teaching 
of  Christ. 

Again,  this  historic  symbol  is  valuable  as  a  Source 
of  Spiritual  Power.  The  man  who  believes  is  the 
man  who  does  and  who  wins  out.  "  All  things  are 
possible,"  said  Jesus,  "  to  him  that  believeth."  Here 
is  the  secret  of  a  successful  life:  "According  to 
your  faith  be  it  unto  you." 

The  man  who  believes  is  the  one  who  invents  and 
discovers,  plans,  executes  and  makes  good.  He 
leads  armies  across  the  Alps  and  builds  roadways  to 
connect  the  remote  ends  of  the  earth.  He  under- 
girds  the  seas  and  navigates  the  skies. 

An  agnosti^^  dreams  no  dreams  and  sees  no 
visions;  he  banks  on  nothing  that  lies  beyond  the 
circumspection  of  his  finger-tips,  goes  out  after  no 
Eldorados  and  accomplishes  nothing  worth  speaking 
of. 

xiii 


INTRODUCTION 

Tell  me  what  you  believe  and  I  will  tell  you  what 
you  amount  to.  If  you  believe  in  gold  as  your 
sine  qua  non,  you  will  pursue  it  until  your  soul  turns 
yellow.  If  you  believe  in  pleasure  as  the  one  thing 
needful,  you  will  keep  on  chasing  butterflies  and 
thistledown  as  if  there  were  nothing  else  worth 
living  for.  If  you  believe  in  the  emoluments  of 
worldly  honor  with  all  your  heart,  you  will  move 
heaven  and  earth  to  crown  yourself  with  laurel  that 
will  fade  at  sunset.  For  belief  is  the  thing  we  live 
by.*     "  As  a  man  thinketh  in- his  heart,  so  is  he." 

By  the  same  token,  he  who  really  believes  in  God 
as  his  Father  will  be  pervaded  by  the  sense  of  God. 
He  who  really  believes  in  Christ  as  his  Saviour  will 
hold  him  first,  last,  midst  and  all  in  all.  He  who 
truly  believes  in  the  Holy  Spirit  as  his  Sanctifier 
will  be  "  coy  and  tender  to  offend,"  ever  watchful 
lest  by  sin  he  grieve  Him. 

*  Finally,  the  Apostles'  Creed  is  important  as  a  sub- 
stantial Basis  of  ultimate  Union  among  the  various 
brandies  of  the  Christian  Church.  In  this  simple 
Confession  of  Faith  we  have,  indeed,  a  platform 
upon  which  the  evangelical  Denominations  are  stand- 
ing to-day.  However  they  may  differ  as  to  minor 
matters,  they  are  knit  together  in  one  Lord,  one 
Faith,  one  spiritual  Baptism,  one  God  and  Father 
of  all.,'  Church  union  is  a  fact  accomplished  in  the 
great  enterprises  at  home  and  abroad  which  make 

*The  word  "belief"  is  by  some  derived  from  by-lifian, 
meaning  "  to  live  by." 

xiv 


INTRODUCTION 

for  the  spread  of  the  gospel  and  the  ultimate  reign 
of  the  Saviour  in  this  world  of  ours. 

The  question  has  been  raised  whether  we  are  los- 
ing our  faith  in  these  days.  Oh,  no;  impossible! 
A  man  may  lose  a  spurious  faith  or  an  empty  and 
superficial  confession  of  faith;  but  not  genuine 
faith.  For  faith  gets  hold  of  the  innermost  fiber  of 
one's  being;  it  has  such  a  vital  grip  on  mind  and 
conscience  and  heart  and  sovereign  will  that  to  lose 
it  would  be  as  impossible  as  to  live  without  a  beating 
pulse.  The  faith  that  can  be  lost  is  not  worth  keep- 
ing; one  is  better  without  it. 

The  pronotm  "  I,"  with  which  the  Creed  begins, 
commits  us  to  a  personal  appropriation  of  its  truths. 
Its  last  word,  "  Amen,"  sets  the  seal  of  sincerity 
upon  our  affirmation:  as  if  one  said,  "  So  be  it  in 
my  walk  and  conversation ;  so  be  it  in  all  my  rela- 
tions with  God  and  my  fellow-men."  We  are  thus 
bound  in  solemn  covenant  to  prove  our  faith  by  our 
works,  which  can  only  be  done  by  translating  our 
Creed  into  the  familiar  terms  of  life. 


XV 


Section  I 

"  I  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of 
heaven  and  earth." 


ATHANASIUS  CONTRA  MUNDUM 

They  call  me  hasty,  of  opinion  proud, 

Untaught  to  bend  a  stubborn  will ; 
Ah!  little  dreams  the  shallow-hearted  crowd 

What  thoughts  this  bosom  fill, 
What  loneUness  this  outer  strength  doth  hide. 

What  longing  lies  beneath  this  calm 
For  human  sympathy  so  long  untried, 

Our  earth's  divinest  balm. 

But  more  than  sympathy  the  truth  I  prize ; 

Above  my  friendships  hold  I  God ; 
And  stricken  be  these  feet  ere  they  despise 

The  path  their  Maker  trod. 
So  let  my  banner  be  again  unfurled, 

Again  its  cheerless  motto  seen : 
"  The  world  against  me,  I  against  the  world !  " 

Judge  thou,  dear  Christ,  between  ! 

— Huntington. 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 


'''"^  O  then,  at  the  outset,  this  is  an  individual  mat- 


S 


ter.  Alone  I  canie  into  the  world;  alone  I 
make  my  journey  over  the  undulating  country 
called  Life;  alone  I  must  pass  on  into  the  Beyond; 
alone  I  must  stand  at  the  judgment  bar  of  God. 

It  follows  by  inevitable  logic  that  I  must  for  my- 
self alone  lay  down  my  platform  of  principles  for 
guidance  along  the  way. 

The  difference  between  I  and  we  —  between  credo 
and  credimus  —  is  the  difference  between  a  man  and 
a  itianikin  in  a  crowd.  Which  is  better :  to  be  swept 
along  by  fashion  —  thinking,  believing  and  acting 
as  others  do  —  or  to  stand  braced  against  the  rock 
of  personal  conviction  and  let  the  crowd  sweep  by? 

In  the  ninth  volume  of  Bancroft's  "  History  of  the 
United  States  "  we  come  upon  this  passage :  "  The 
most  stupendous  thought  that  ever  was  conceived  by 
man,  such  as  had  never  been  dared  by  Socrates  or 
the  Academy,  by  Aristotle  or  the  Stoics,  took  pos- 
session of  Descartes  in  his  meditations  on  a  Novem- 
ber night  on  the  banks  of  the  Danube.  His  mind 
separated  itself  from  everything  besides  and,  in  the 

3 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

consciousness  of  its  own  freedom,  stood  over  against 
tradition,  all  received  opinion,  all  knowledge,  all 
existence  except  itself,  thus  asserting  the  principle 
of  Individuality  as  the  key-note  of  all  coming  phi- 
losophy and  political  institutions.  Nothing  was  to 
be  received  as  truth  by  man  which  did  not  convince 
his  reason.  A  new  world  was  opened  up  in  which 
every  man  was  to  be  his  own  philosopher." 

That  "  new  world  "  is  the  world  we  are  living  in. 
The  first  and  greatest  commandment  is,  Think ;  think 
for  yourself;  let  no  man  do  your  thinking  for  you. 
There  are  people  to-day,  as  in  Cowper's  time,  who 
farm  out  their  thinking  and  follow  on, 

"  Crooked  or  straight,  through  quags  or  thorny  dells. 
True  to  the  jingling  of  their  leaders'  bells." 

But,  good  people,  by  the  divine  franchise  of  man- 
hood let  no  man  or  body  of  men,  no  priest,  caucus 
or  Sanhedrin,  do  your  thinking  for  you.  Quit  you 
like  men! 


"BELIEVE" 

A  MAN  without  a  creed  is  a  mere  makeshift 
sort  of  man. 
The  word  "  creed  "  is  from  credo,  mean- 
ing "  I  believe."  And  the  word  "  behef  "  is  traced 
to  the  Saxon  by-lifian,  meaning  "the  thing  we 
live  by." 

The  reason  why  nobody  believes  in  a  man  who 
believes  nothing  is  because  faith  is  the  substratum 
of  life.  Thus  it  is  written:  "As  a  man  thinketh 
within  himself,  so  is  he."j 

A  grocer  who  does  not  believe  that  it  takes  sixteen 
ounces  to  make  a  pound  soon  puts  up  his  shutters. 
A  candidate  with  no  definite  opinions  as  to  the 
fundamental  principles  of  government,  though  he 
may  succeed  for  a  while  as  a  demagogue,  is  doomed 
to  failure  in  the  long  run. 

But  if  a  well- formulated  code  of  facts  and  princi- 
ples is  necessary  in  these  common  walks  of  life,  how 
much  more  in  the  province  of  religion  in  which  are 
involved  the  issues  of  the  eternal  ages ! 
T  There  is  a  difference  between  knowing  and  be- 
lieving. One  may  know  much  and  believe  little,  and 
vice  versa.  A  man -may  know  that  "  honesty  is  the 
best  policy,"  but  unless  he  is  an  honest  man  he  does 

5 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

not  believe  it.  A  citizen  of  New  York  may  know 
that  municipal  righteousness  is  a  desirable  thing,  but 
unless  he  casts  his  ballot  accordingly  he  does  not 
really  believe  it.  Moses  knew,  beyond  all  possi- 
bility of  doubt  or  perad venture,  that  God  spoke  to 
him  from  the  burning  bush ;  and  he  showed  that  he 
believed  it  when,  in  obedience  to  the  divine  com- 
mand, he  stood  up  in  the  audience  chamber  of 
Pharaoh  with  his  commission  on  his  lips :  "  Thus 
saith  Jehovah,  Let  my  people  go!"  The  prodigal 
knew  from  the  beginning  of  his  downward  career 
that  in  his  father's  house  there  was  plenty  and  to 
spare,  but  his  knowledge  was  not  vitalized  and  trans- 
muted into  faith  until  he  said,  "  I  will  arise  and  go/^ 

The  touchstone  of  orthodoxy  is  not  knowing  but 
appropriating.  The  confessor  who  says,  "  I  believe 
in  Christ,"  and  does  not  worship  and  follow  him  in 
labor  of  love  and  patience  of  hope,  is  no  better  than 
a  lay-figure.  His  creed  is  as  empty  as  a  last  year's 
cocoon.  This  is  that  "  faith  without  works  "  which, 
being  dead,  is  no  faith  at  all.  In  other  words,  be- 
lief must  be  resolved,  amplified  and  converted  into 
terms  of  common  life. 

This  is  what  Christ  meant  when  he  said,  "  Except 
ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man  and  drink  his 
""  blood  ye  have  not  life  in  yourselves." 

As  food  is  without  value  unless  it  be  assimilated 
and  transmuted  into  blood  and  sinew  and  physical 
energy,  so  our  knowledge  of  Christ  and  of  the 
spiritual  truths  which  radiate  from  him  is  as  mean- 

6 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

ingless  as  a  painted  ship  upon  a  painted  ocean  except 
as  it  finds  its  way  along  the  vital  tissues  of  the  soul 
and  is  transmuted  into  the  practical  graces  of  charac- 
ter and  usefulness.  It  is  thus  that  our  lives  become 
"  hid  with  Christ  in  God." 


"IN  GOD" 

WE  were  made  in  the  divine  likeness: 
wherefore  we  cannot  help  believing  in 
some  sort  of  a  god. 

In  Irving's  "  Life  of  Columbus  "  he  says  that 
when  the  great  explorer  landed  on  the  islands  oflf 
the  American  coast  he  found  the  rude  inhabitants, 
as  he  supposed,  without  any  conception  of  God;  but 
presently  he  discovered  that  they  stood  in  mortal 
terror  of  an  infinite  Being  with  whom  they  had  com- 
munion through  the  mediation  of  little  images, 
called  Zemes,  which  they  wore  about  their  necks. 

But  this  does  not  mean  that  everybody  believes  in 
God.  For  while  there  are  many  gods  there  is  only 
one  true  God. 

He  must  be  one,  for  the  good  and  sufficient  rea- 
son that  he  filleth  all  in  all.  There  is  room  for  no 
other  in  the  universe.  His  presence  and  power  so 
occupy  time  and  space  as  to  exclude  all  others. 

It  is  said  of  him  that  he  "  inhabiteth  eternity." 
He  is  the  sempiternal  One,  eternal  both  backward 
and  forward;  as  it  is  written,  "  From  everlasting  to 
everlasting  thou  art  God."  His  lifetime  is  the  eter- 
nal Now. 

8 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

The  earth  is  full  of  his  glory.  As  there  can  be 
only  one  King  in  England,  one  Emperor  in  Ger- 
many, one  Czar  in  Russia,  and  one  President  in  our 
Republic,  so  in  this  world  of  ours  there  can  be  only 
one  sovereign  God. 

The  heaven  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  con- 
tain him.  The  eyes  of  angels  and  archangels  are 
all  alike  directed  toward  the  central  throne ;  and  all 
voices  unite  in  ascribing  to  its  Occupant  glory  and 
honor  and  power  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever. 

Any  other  than  this  God  is  a  false  god;  and  to 
worship  such  is  idolatry.  The  definition  of  idolatry 
is  "  The  worship  of  any  other  than  the  true  God." 

To  the  children  of  Israel  at  the  foot  of  the  flam- 
ing mountain  God  announced  himself  on  this  wise : 
"  I  am  Jehovah  thy  God,  who  brought  thee  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the  house  of  bondage.  Thou 
shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me." 

It  was  a  custom  among  the  more  scrupulous  Jews 
to  wear  a  froptlet  between  their  eyes,  called  a 
"  shema,"  to  keep  them  in  perpetual  remembrance  of 
this  fact.  On  it  was  inscribed  the  legend,  "  Hear,  O 
Israel;  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord;  and  thou 
shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me!  " 

The  true  God  has  revealed  himself  to  men. 
,  It  is  antecedently  probable  that  he  would  do  this. 
llf  he  is  a  Father  and  we  are  really  his  offspring,  it 
goes  without  saying  that  he  would  not  leave  us  grop- 
ing in  the  dark  to  find  him.  \ 

He  has  revealed  himself  in  nature.     "  One  dande- 
9 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

lion  seed,"  says  Professor  Chadbourne,  "  has  power 
enough  to  cut  up  all  the  atheism  in  the  world  by  the 
root."  But  while  nature  reveals  the  being  of  God, 
in  doing  so  it  "  speaks  a  various  language  " ;  and 
as  to  his  character,  and  particularly  as  to  his  grace, 
it  has  little  or  nothing  to  say. 

'He  has  revealed  himself  also,  and  more  com- 
pletely, in  Christ.  It  was  to  this  end  that  the  only- 
begotten  Son  of  the  Father  came  into  the  world, 
that  in  him  we  might  be  able  to  form  a  just  and  ade- 
quate conception  of  God. '  '*  Philip  saith  unto  him. 
Lord,  show  us  the  Father  and  it  sufficeth  us.  Jesus 
saith  unto  him.  Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you 
and  dost  thou  not  know  me,  Philip?  He  that  hath 
seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father.  How  sayest  thou, 
Show  us  the  Father?  Believest  thou  not  that  I  am 
in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me  ?  " 

It  is  not  enough,  however,  that  God  should  thus 
reveal  himself  in  Christ.  Is  that  an  unwarrantable 
thing  to  say?  A  moment's  consideration  will 
justify  it. 

(  Christ  lived  in  a  remote  corner  of  the  world  for 
a  brief  period  of  thirty  years  and  then  went  his  way. 
He  was  indeed  a  full  and  complete  unveiling  of  God ; 
but,  in  the  necessity  of  the  case,  he  could  be  so  prac- 
tically only  to  such  as  knew  him.  If  no  provision 
had  been  made  for  extending  the  knowledge  of  his 
wonderful  life  over  all  lands  and  throughout  all 
ages,  the  probability  is  that  none  of  us  would  ever 
have  heard  of  him.     For  this  reason  the  Scriptures 

lO 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

must  needs  be  given  to  perpetuate  and  universalize 
the  knowledge  of  him.l 

In  1853  Commodore  Perry  went  to  Japan  as  a 
commissioner  of  the  United  States  to  open  up  com- 
merce with  that  country;  but  when  he  cast  anchor 
in  the  harbor  of  Yeddo,  the  Mikado  refused  to 
receive  him.  He  was  required  to  produce  his  offi- 
cial credentials  before  he  could  gain  a  hearing. 
That  being  done,  a  treaty  was  duly  effected.  But 
that  treaty  would  have  been  of  no  avail  had  the  pra- 
ceedings  been  arrested  then  and  there.  The  treaty 
must  be  reported,  ratified  and  made  a  matter  of 
public  fame.  This  also  was  done;  whereupon  the 
visit  of  Commodore  Perry  to  Japan  became  a  living 
part  of  history  and  an  important  factor  in  the  subse- 
quent welfare  and  prosperity  of  Japan  by  bringing 
her  into  touch  with  Christian  civilization. 

'  The  Son  of  God,  coming  into  the  world,  had 
behind  him  the  Old  Testament,  which,  as  a  sum- 
mary of  his  Messianic  credentials,  set  forth  prophet- 
ically his  mission  as  the  Saviour  of  men.  And 
when,  after  his  passion,  he  returned  to  "  the  glory 
which  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  world 
was,"  he  left  behind  him  in  the  New  Testament  a 
complete  record  of  his  life,  character  and  work.  In 
these  two  Testaments,  constituting  the  Scriptures, 
we  have  a  full,  final  and  authoritative  setting  forth 
of  Christ  as  the  manifestation  of  the  one  true  God. 
But  what  of  those  who  have  no  Bible?  Is  the 
light  of  nature  sufficient  to  reveal  God  ? 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

It  is  at  best  a  dim  and  ineffective  light,  owing  to 
the  fact  that  sin  has  warped  our  vision.  There  is  a 
twist  in  every  pair  of  human  eyes.  But  God  is  not 
an  exacting  God;  he  demands  no  more  of  any  man 
than  that  he  shall  bring  his  life  up  to  the  measure 
of  his  light.  Do  the  heathen  thus  live  up  to  their 
light? 

"  They  are  without  excuse,"  says  Paul,  "  for  the 
invisible  things  of  God  since  the  creation  of  the 
world  are  clearly  seen,  being  perceived  through  the 
things  that  are  made,  even  his  everlasting  power  and 
divinity.  .  .  .  Knowing  God,  they  glorified  him  not 
as  God,  neither  gave  thanks,  but  became  vain  in 
their  reasonings  and  their  senseless  heart  was  dark- 
ened. Professing  themselves  to  be  wise,  they  be- 
came fools,  and  changed  the  glory  of  the  incorrupti- 
ble God  for  the  likeness  of  an  image  of  corruptible 
man.  .  .  .  They  exchanged  the  truth  of  God  for  a 
lie,  and  worshiped  and  served  the  creature  rather 
than  the  Creator,  who  is  blessed  forever." 

As  to  the  truth  of  that  statement,  the  pantheons 
of  the  world  are  in  evidence.  The  gods  of  Olympus 
and  Walhalla  are  mere  images  of  men  magnified  and 
projected  on  the  skies. 

It  would  be  hard  to  find  anything  more  pathetic 
than  the  grim  irony  of  Isaiah  in  his  picture  of  an 
idol-maker.  He  shows  him  going  out  into  the  forest 
to  seek  a  suitable  tree,  a  sound-hearted  tree  "  that 
will  not  rot."  He  brings  this  to  his  workshop,  and 
there  "  stretcheth  out  a  line:  he  marketh  it  out  with 

12 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

the  compasses,  and  shapeth  it  after  the  figure  of  a 
man."  Presently,  being  hungry,  he  gathers  the 
chips  and  shavings  and  "  kindleth  it,  and  baketh 
bread;  ...  he  warmeth  himself,  and  saith.  Aha,  I 
am  warm !  "  And  then  he  falls  down  before  "  the 
residue  "  of  the  fir-tree  and  "  prayeth  unto  it,  and 
saith,  Deliver  me;  for  thou  art  my  God!  " 

In  like  manner  Paul,  in  his  address  to  the  people 
of  Athens  —  a  city  "  full  of  idols,"  whose  streets 
were  lined  with  colonnades  of  images  —  put  his 
hearers  to  shame,  saying,  "  In  God  we  live  and  move 
and  have  our  being:  as  certain  even  of  your  own 
poets  have  said,  '  For  we  are  also  his  offspring.' 
Being  then  the  offspring  of  God,  we  ought  not  to 
think  that  the  Godhead  is  like  unto  gold  or  silver  or 
stone,  graven  by  art  and  device  of  man." 

It  is  comparatively  easy  thus  to  expose  the  ab- 
surdity of  image-worship ;  but  how  about  those  who, 
having  the  Bible,  have  either  ignored  its  theology  or 
lost  faith  in  it?     Are  there  idolaters  among  them? 

Surely;  if  the  right  definition  of  idolatry  be  "the 
worship  of  any  other  than  tlie  true  God."  For 
what  difference  does  it  make  whether  a  god  be  made 
out  of  the  brown  earth  or  out  of  the  gray  matter  of 
the  brain?  If  it  is  a  fabricated  thing  and  not  con- 
formable to  the  God  who  has  revealed  himself,  then 
"  the  workman  made  it,  and  it  is  no  god." 

There  are  those  who  speak  guardedly  of  "  an 
original  first  cause."  The  materialistic  scientists 
of  our  time  are  accustomed  to  characterize  their  god 

13 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

in  that  way.  Finding  it  impossible  to  bar  God  abso- 
lutely out  of  his  universe,  since  the  present  order  of 
things  must  somehow  be  accounted  for,  they  reduce 
him  to  the  lowest  possible  terms  of  Law,  Force,  the 
All-pervading  Soul,  or  the  Potency  of  Life,  Who 
made  this  god?  The  Evolutionists,  who,  tracing 
the  existing  order  back  through  the  calm  operation 
of  natural  laws  for  an  indefinite  period,  came  at 
length  upon  a  primordial  germ.  But  —  who  made 
that  primordial  germ?  As  between  God  and 
chance,  they  choose  to  refer  this  remote  origin  of 
things  to  some  sort  of  a  god.  He  is  the  indispensa- 
ble Deus  ex  machina:  that  is  all. 

There  are  others  who,  approaching  the  argument 
from  the  ethical  standpoint,  find  it  necessary  to 
hypothecate  a  god  in  order  to  account  for  our  moral 
conceptions.  The  best  definition  of  this  god  of  the 
philosophers  is  "  a  something  not  ourselves  that 
maketh  for  righteousness."  Who  made  that  god? 
A  clever  workman  named  Matthew  Arnold  made  it ; 
therefore  it  is  not  God.  He,  too,  found  himself 
driven  into  a  quandary ;  which  he  solved  by  writing 
on  his  altar:  "A  Something."  This  is  only  an- 
other form  of  the  Athenian  inscription  "  To  an 
Unknown  God." 

There  are  others  who  conceive  of  God  as  Justice, 
pure  and  simple  —  calm,  inflexible,  inexorable  Jus- 
tice; whose  all-comprehensive  law  is  written  in  the 
terms :  "  Whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he 
also  reap."     There  is,  then,  no  such  thing  as  the  par- 

14 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

don  of  sins.  "  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die!  " 
This  is  Karma,  "  the  law  of  consequences."  Who 
made  this  god?  The  Buddhists,  and  like-minded 
devotees  of  justice  without  mercy.  But  this  is  not 
the  God  who  has  revealed  himself  in  Scripture  to  the 
children  of  men.  This  is  an  idol;  and  none  the  less 
so  because  it  is  made  not  of  "  gold  or  silver  or  stone, 
graven  by  art  and  device  of  man,"  but  of  the  human 
imagination.  There  is  no  such  god  anywhere  in 
the  universe. 

And  still  others  conceive  of  God  as  nothing  but 
love.  Is  it  not  written,  *'  God  is  love  "?  Yes,  but 
nowhere  is  it  intimated  that  God  is  nothing  but  love. 
To  speak  of  him  as  a  good-natured  being  —  Bon 
Dieu  —  who  has  no  possibility  of  holy  indignation 
in  his  nature,  who  can  look  upon  sin  and  all  its  at- 
tendant abominations  with  complacency,  is  strangely 
illogical.  The  least  that  could  be  expected  of  God 
is  that  he  should  be  as  perfect  as  an  ideal  man.  But 
if  a  man  were  constructed  on  the  lines  of  this  weak 
caricature  it  would  be  impossible  for  us  to  respect 
him.  Who  made  this  lop-sided,  amiable  god  ?  The 
sentimentalists  made  him.  And  all  sound  thinkers, 
not  to  say  devout  worshipers,  are  bound  to  reject 
him.  For  "  God  is  a  Spirit,  infinite,  eternal  and 
unchangeable  in  his  being,  wisdom,  power,  holiness, 
justice,  goodness  and  truth."  His  character  is  a 
perfect  symmetry  of  all  right  attributes.  To  reduce 
him  to  one  attribute  only  is  to  make  a  monstrosity 
of  himj 

15 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

The  practical  question,  however,  is  this :  Where 
did  you  personally  get  your  God?  Out  of  current 
opinions?  Out  of  your  inner  consciousness?  Out 
of  some  personal  prejudice  in  favor  of  this  or  that? 
Then  you,  yourself,  are  the  workman;  you  made  it, 
and  it  is  not  God. 

If  we  would  avoid  idolatry,  it  behooves  us  not  to 
go  groping  after  God  like  blind  men,  but  to  betake 
ourselves  to  the  Oracles  where  God  speaks  for  him- 
self. If,  having  the  Scriptures,  the  revelation,  the 
showing  forth  of  God  in  his  many-sided  character, 
we  bow  at  false  altars  and  worship  gods  made  by 
human  hands  or  imaginations,  we  have  none  to 
blame  but  ourselves. 

In  the  middle  of  the  last  century  Sir  David 
Brewster  went  to  Paris  to  visit  his  friend  Arago, 
the  astronomer,  who  was  finishing  the  long  and 
eventful  circuit  of  his  life.  Of  their  interview  he 
'says,  "We  conversed  on  the  marvels  of  creation; 
and  the  name  of  God  was  introduced.  This  led 
Arago  to  complain  of  the  difficulties  which  his  reason 
experienced  in  understanding  God.  '  But,'  said  I, 
*  it  is  still  more  difficult  not  to  understand  him  ' ;  and 
he  did  not  deny  it.  '  Only  in  this  case,'  said  he,  *  it 
is  quite  impossible  for  me  to  understand  the  God  of 
the  philosophers.'  I  replied,  *  We  are  not  dealing 
with  him,  although  I  believe  that  true  philosophy 
conducts  us  with  faith  in  God;  but  I  wish  to  speak 
of  the  God  of  the  Christian.'  Whereupon  he  ex- 
claimed, *  You  mean  the  God  of  my  mother !     How 

i6 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

much  comfort  she  had  in  kneeling  before  him !  * 
He  said  no  more ;  but  his  heart  had  spoken."  Thus 
a  man  left  to  his  better  instincts,  true  to  his  con- 
science and  the  light  of  the  Oracles,  comes  back  to 
God. 


17 


"THE  FATHER" 


O 


F  all  the  great  truths  of  Scripture  the  Father- 
hood of  God  is  practically  the  only  one  with 
which  nobody  seems  disposed  to  take  issue. 
The  Greeks  accepted  it,  as  appears  in  Paul's  won- 
derful sermon  to  the  philosophers  on  Mars'  Hill 
when  he  quotes  from  Aratus  :  "  As  certain  even  of 
your  poets  have  said,  *  We  are  also  his  offspring.'  " 
The  Romans  also  accepted  it,  as  appears  in  their 
worship  of  Jupiter,  whose  name,  Zeus-pater,  means 
the  universal  Father.  In  like  manner  the  Norse- 
men bowed  before  Al-fadir,  "  the  Father  of  all."  ' 

In  current  controversy  the  brotherhood  of  man  is 
usually  based  upon  the  Fatherhood  of  God.  'it  is 
not  an  uncommon  thing  to  hear  men  who  prac- 
tically repudiate  God,  blaspheme  his  name,  tread 
upon  the  blood  of  his  covenant,  desecrate  his  holy 
day  and  habitually  violate  his  law,  discourse  in  elo- 
quent terms  on  their  filial  relation  with  him.  It  is 
important,  therefore,  that  we  should  understand 
what  this  means,  the  Fatherhood  of  God.l 

I.  At  the  outset  the  proposition  rests  upon  the 
fact  that  God  created  us. 

The  record  runs  on  this  wise,  "  And  God  said, 
Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,   after  our  like- 

i8 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

ness."  So  the  Lord  formed  man  out  of  the  dust 
of  the  ground  and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the 
breath  of  Hfe;  and  man  became  a  "  living  soul." 

In  being  thus  animated  by  the  divine  breath  man 
is  distinguished  from  the  lower  orders  of  life  and 
well  qualified  to  have  dominion  over  all.  At  the 
moment  of  his  creation  he  stood  erect  with  his  face 
toward  the  sky:  endowed  with  a  mind  to  contem- 
plate great  verities,  a  conscience  to  "  distinguish  be- 
twixt the  worse  and  better  reason,"  and  a  sovereign 
will  to  do  his  own  choosing  even  in  defiance  of  God.^ 

"  Oh,  mighty  brother  soul  of  man  f 
Where'er  thou  art,  or  low  or  high, 
Thy  skyey  arches  with  exultant  span 
O'er-roof  infinity ! " 

We  are  warranted  thus  in  tracing  our  lineage  back 
to  God;  and  in  doing  so  we  must  needs  renounce 
what  Carlyle  calls  "the  religion  of  frog  spawn." 
Our  family  tree  is  outlined  on  this  wise,  "  the 
son  of  Seth,  the  son  of  Adam,  the  son  of  God." 
This  tree  of  genealogy  has  obviously  no  point  of 
contact  with  that  other  tree  in  which  our  remote 
ancestry  is  traced  through  the  lower  to  the  primitive 
forms  of  life.  As  for  me,  I  am  glad  to  have  my 
family  pride  saved  in  this  way. 

But,  after  all,  there  is  only  a  sort  of  qualified  son- 
ship  in  the  fact  that  man  is  God's  masterpiece. 
When  a  sculptor  says  of  a  beautiful  statue,  "  This  is 
the  child  of  my  brain,"  he  is  using  a  figure  of  speech ; 

19 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

but  if  a  youth  enter  the  studio  saying,  "  My  father," 
you  recognize  a  vital  difference  between  the  statue 
and  the  artist's  son.  One  is  the  offspring  of  his 
inventive  mind,  while  the  other  is  bone  of  his  bone 
and  flesh  of  his  flesh  and  has  a  corresponding  claim 
upon  him. 

It  is  a  great  thing,  nevertheless,  to  be  the  master- 
piece of  the  Creator.  By  so  much  is  a  man  better 
than  a  sheep!  And  by  so  much  is  human  responsi- 
bility above  that  of  the  lower  orders  of  life. 

II.  The  second  ground  upon  which  our  divine 
filiation  might  be  assumed  is  that  of  generation. 
But  this  is  out  of  the  question.  God  never  begat 
but  one  Son.  When  you  hear  the  co-equal  divinity 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  called  in  question  —  as  oc- 
curs not  infrequently  in  these  days  —  I  beg  you  to 
remember  that  he  consistently  claimed  to  be  the 
only-begotten  Son  of  God.  So  it  is  written,  "  Thou 
art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee."  And 
thus  it  is  formulated  in  the  Nicene  Creed,  "  He  was 
begotten  before  all  worlds."  There  he  stands,  soli- 
tary and  alone  in  all  the  universe !  God  the  Father 
bare  witness  to  this  singular  sonship  of  Jesus  when 
both  at  his  baptism  and  his  transfiguration  he  said 
from  heaven,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I 
am  well  pleased." 

I  "bur  Lord  spoke  frequently  of  his  Father,  and  to 
the  disciples  of  their  Father;  but  he  never  con- 
fused his  filiation  w'ith  theirs.  A  hundred  times  or 
thereabouts  he  said  "  my  Father  " ;  much  less  fre- 

20 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

quently  "  your  Father " ;  on  one  occasion  "  my 
Father  and  your  Father  " ;  but  he  never  included 
himself  in  the  words  *'  our  Father."  When  his 
disciples  asked  him  to  teach  them  how  to  pray,  he 
answered,  "  When  ye  pray  say,  Our  Father  " ;  but 
he  himself  did  not  pray  that  way.  How  could  he, 
in  view  of  his  singular  relation  with  the  Father  as 
the  only-begotten,  on  which  he  based  his  stupen- 
dous claim  of  equality  with  God  ?  | 

HI.  But  there  is  a  third  ground  on  which  we 
may  venture  to  call  God  our  Father,  namely,  the 
Spirit  of  adoption :  as  it  is  written,  "  When  the  full- 
ness of  the  time  came,  God  sent  his  Son,  born  of  a 
woman,  born  under  the  law,  that  he  might  redeem 
them  that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  receive 
the  adoption  of  sons.  And  because  ye  are  sons, 
God  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  our  hearts, 
crying  Abba,  Father.  So  that  thou  art  no  longer 
a  bondservant,  but  a  son;  and  if  a  son,  then  an 
heir  through  God."  And  again,  "  Ye  received  not 
the  spirit  of  bondage  again  unto  fear;  but  ye  re- 
ceived the  Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba, 
Father.  The  Spirit  himself  beareth  witness  with 
our  spirit  that  we  are  children  of  God." 

We  are  thus  advised  of  our  alienation  from  God 
through  sin,  and  of  our  vital  need  of  restoration  to 
holiness,  because  "  without  holiness  no  man  shall 
see  God."  It  is  elsewhere  said  that  we  were  "  sold 
under  sin,"  and  therefore  in  need  of  redemption, 
which  literally  means  a  "  buying  back,"  if  we  would 

21 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

ever  be  restored  to  God.  We  are  said  to  be  "  lost  " 
by  reason  of  sin;  not  irretrievably  lost  like  a  ship 
sunk  in  unfathomable  sea,  but  like  a  ship  driven 
upon  a  reef,  which  is  still  salvable  by  speedy  and  ef- 
fective intervention.  Furthermore  we  are  said  to 
be  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  " —  dead  because 
all  the  functions  of  our  spiritual  life  are  arrested  — 
and  therefore  in  need  of  a  quickening,  or  "  'gain- 
birth,"  which  can  only  be  effected  by  the  Spirit  of 
life. 

The  next  thing  disclosed  in  the  Scripture  quoted 
is  the  fact  that  God  sent  his  Son  into  the  world  to 
redeem  us.  So  comes  the  intervention  of  divine 
grace.  The  only-begotten  Son  of  God  bore  our  sins 
in  his  own  body  on  the  tree.  He  paid  the  ransom 
for  all,  "  tasting  of  death  for  every  man."  (Whether 
we  are  saved  or  not,  he  died  to  make  us  salvable. 
It  is  for  us  to  say,  each  for  himself,  whether  or  no 
that  divine  interposition  shall  spell  salvation  for  us.J 

The  darkest  day  in  David's  life  was  when  he 
learned  of  the  death  of  Absalom.  He  staggered  up 
the  winding  stairway  to  his  chamber  on  the  house- 
top wringing  his  hands  and  crying,  "  My  son  Absa- 
lom, my  son,  my  son  Absalom!  would  I  had  died 
for  thee ! "  He  would,  indeed,  have  gladly  given 
his  life  to  reclaim  that  wayward  son.  That,  how- 
ever, was  impossible.  But  what  David  could  not  do, 
our  Father  has  done.  And  what  more  could  he  do 
to  redeem  us? 

The  resultant  fact  is  the  possibility  of  adoption 

22 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

into  the  family  of  God.  Our  Father's  house  is  open 
to  all.  But  whether  we  enter  or  not  depends  on  us. 
It  is  written  of  Christ,  "  He  came  unto  his  own,  and 
they  that  were  his  own  received  him  not.  But  as 
many  as  received  him,  to  them  he  gave  the  right  to 
become  the  children  of  God."  This  is  the  sole  con- 
dition affixed  to  adoption,  that  we  shall  receive 
Christ  as  our  Saviour :  as  it  is  written,  "  Neither  is 
there  any  other  name  under  heaven  that  is  given 
among  men,  wherein  we  must  be  saved  " ;  and  as  he 
himself  said,  "  No  one  cometh  unto  the  Father  but 
by  me." 

Faith  in  Christ  is  the  touchstone  of  life.  There 
are  no  true  sons  and  daughters  of  God  among  those 
who  reject  God's  well-beloved  Son.  This  is  the  cru- 
cial test,  "If  God  were  your  Father,  ye  would  love 

iNot  long  ago  this  advertisement  appeared  in  the 
personal  column  of  one  of  our  newspapers:  "  The 
public  are  warned  against  the  representations  of  my 
son  Ira,  whose  unnatural  conduct  has  driven  him 
from  home  and  deprived  him  of  the  confidence  of 
those  who  still  love  him.  The  door  is  open,  and  he 
may  return  at  any  moment  when  he  is  ready  to  de- 
port himself  as  a  loyal  son.  If  this  should  fall 
under  his  eyes  let  him  know  that,  under  these  condi- 
tions, a  welcome  awaits  him.  Meanwhile  all  are 
warned  against  trusting  him."  What  a  tragedy 
may  be  read  between  those  lines !  \ 

The  world  is  full  of  such  desolated  homes,  such 
23 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

injured  love,  such  secret  sorrow  and  futile  tears. 

A  missionary  was  called  to  a  wretcjjed  dive  in  the 
Tenderloin  to  visit  a  young  woman  who  lay  des- 
perately ill.  She  told  him  her  story;  how  she  had 
run  away  from  the  restraints  of  home  and  plunged 
into  the  dissipations  of  a  reckless  Hfe.  "  Oh,  if  I 
could  only  get  back!  "  she  cried;  "  I'm  so  tired  of  it 
all.  Spring  is  coming  on  the  old  farm,  and  I'm 
homesick.  But  they  never,  never  would  take  me 
back."  The  missionary  wrote  to  her  father  and  a 
letter  came  back  like  this :  "  Tell  her  our  hearts  are 
hungry  for  her :  tell  her  no  matter  what  has  hap- 
pened we  will  give  her  a  loving  welcome.  The  door 
is  always  open  for  her."  On  the  outside  of  that  let- 
ter was  the  word  "  Immediate."  Alas,  it  came  too 
late .[/ 

It's  the  old  story  over  again  of  the  boy  who  asked 
for  his  patrimony  and  crossed  the  hills  into  the  far 
country  where  he  wasted  all  in  riotous  living :  until, 
at  length,  forlorn  and  forsaken,  he  hired  himself  out 
as  a  swineherd ;  —  it  always  comes  to  that !  —  and, 
sitting  upon  the  trough  in  the  swinefield,  he  came  to 
himself,  saying,  "  In  my  father's  house  there  is 
plenty  and  to  spare,  and  lo,  I  perish  with  hunger! 
Fool  that  I  have  been !  I  will  arise  and  go !  "  No 
sooner  said  than  done.  When  next  we  see  him,  the 
father's  house  is  bright  with  music  and  laughter,  and 
the  returned  prodigal,  clothed  in  the  best  robe  and 
wearing  the  signet  ring,  is  sitting  at  a  feast  of  fat 
things  and  wine  upon  the  lees. 

24 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

So  runs  the  gospel  of  our  Father's  love.  When 
once  we  say,  "  I  will  arise  and  go,"  he  comes  out 
to  meet  us  while  we  are  yet  a  great  way  off.  And 
"  there  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God 
over  one  sinner  that  repenteth." 

But  the  story  does  not  end  here.  In  one  of  John's 
Epistles  he  says,  "  Behold  what  manner  of  love  the 
Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us,  that  we  should  be 
called  children  of  God!"  It  is  related  that  a  na- 
tive helper  at  Malabar,  who  was  employed  in  the 
translation  of  the  Scriptures,  on  coming  upon  this 
passage  in  John's  Epistle,  said  to  the  missionary, 
"  I  cannot  write  that.  It  cannot  be  true!  Let  me 
rather  translate  it,  '  Behold  what  manner  of  love  is 
this,  that  we  should  be  permitted  to  kiss  his  feet ! '  " 
But  this  is  only  the  beginning  of  wonders.  The 
next  verse  reads,  "  Now  are  we  children  of  God, 
and  it  is  not  yet  made  manifest  what  we  shall 
be.  We  know  that  if  he  shall  be  manifested,  we 
shall  be  like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him  even  as  he 
is!'; 

Thus  we  are  left  to  dream  dreams  and  see  visions 
of  things  that  cannot  be  uttered.  A  great  surprise 
awaits  the  adopted  sons  and  daughters  of  God  at 
the  lifting  of  the  veil.  "If  children,  then  heirs; 
heirs  of  God  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ,"  to  "  an 
inheritance  incorruptible  and  undefiled  and  that  fad- 
eth  not  away."  Shade  your  eyes,  beloved ;  for  these 
are  things  beyond  us.  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear 
heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man 

25 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him! " 

But  the  way  to  the  reaHzation  of  all  such  visions 
of  glory  ineffable  is  Christ.  The  Spirit  of  Christ 
is  the  Spirit  of  adoption.  The  mind  that  was  in 
Christ  Jesus  is  loyalty  to  the  Father's  will.  The 
countersign  at  the  doorway  of  the  Father's  house  is 
"  In  his  name."  He  is  the  first-born  among  many 
brethren.  And  the  one  condition  of  reconciliation 
with  God  is  faith  in  Christ ;  as  he  said :  "  I  am  the 
way ;  no  one  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me." 


26 


"  ALMIGHTY  " 

AT  the  close  of  a  religious  conference  at  Man- 
chester, England,  in  which  current  ques- 
tions in  theology  were  discussed  with  great 
.license,  Dr.  Dale  said  to  his  friend  Dr.  Berry,  "  I 
wonder  if  there  is  anybody  left  who  fears  God?" 
The  latter  replied,  "  It  would,  indeed,  appear  that 
we  are  accustomed  to  take  great  liberties  with 
God." 

If  so,  a  plea  for  reverence  will  not  be  amiss.  The 
barriers  that  were  set  about  Sinai  were  there  for  a 
good  purpose.  It  was  little  wonder  that  the  people 
"  trembled  and  stood  afar  off."  So  terrible  was 
the  sight  that  even  Moses  said,  "  I  exceedingly  fear 
and  quake."  On  being  called  up  into  the  mountain 
he  obeyed,  but  was  charged  to  return  immediately 
and  "  let  not  the  priests  and  the  people  break 
through  to  come  up  unto  Jehovah."  Why  so? 
Why  must  they  keep  their  distance  from  Sinai,  when 
every  other  mountain  could  be  approached  at  will? 

Who  is  this  God  that  we  should  be  required  to 
draw  near  with  such  reverent  awe?  He  is  the  Al- 
mighty ;  the  Infinite  One.  Our  breath  is  in  our  nos- 
trils. He  is  like  the  sun;  while  we  are,  in  compari- 
son, as  motes  flying  in  a  sunbeam.     It  was  this  con- 

27 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

sideration  that  led  David  to  cry,  "  When  I  consider 
thy  heavens,  the  work  of  thy  fingers,  the  moon  and 
the  stars  which  thou  hast  ordained,  what  is  man, 
that  thou  art  mindful  of  him,  and  the  son  of  man, 
that  thou  visitest  him  ?  " 

The  angels  and  archangels  are  represented  as 
veiling  their  faces  before  him  while  they  sing, 
"  Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord  God  Almighty !  " 

In  one  of  Isaiah's  visions  he  saw  the  Lord,  "  sit- 
ting upon  a  throne  high  and  lifted  up  ";  whereupon 
he  cried,  "  Woe  is  me !  I  am  undone ;  because  I 
am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the  midst 
of  a  people  of  unclean  lips;  for  mine  eyes  have  seen 
the  King!" 

In  the  desert  of  Midian  where  Moses  was  keeping 
his  flocks  he  saw  a  flame  bursting  from  an  acacia- 
bush,  and  said,  "  I  will  turn  aside  now  and  see  this 
great  sight,  why  the  bush  is  not  burnt."  But  a 
Voice  called  to  him,  **  Draw  not  nigh  hither :  put 
off  thy  shoes  from  off  thy  feet,  for  the  place 
whereon  thou  standest  is  holy  ground." 

Yes,  but  is  it  not  written,  "  Ye  are  not  come  unto 
a  mount  that  burned  with  fire,  and  unto  blackness 
and  darkness  and  tempest  and  the  sound  of  a  trum- 
pet; .  .  .  but  ye  are  come  unto  Mount  Zion,  and 
unto  the  city  of  the  living  God,  ...  to  the  general 
assembly  and  Church  of  the  firstborn  .  .  .  and  to 
Jesus  the  mediator  of  a  new  covenant."  All  true; 
but  read  on :  "  Once  more  will  I  make  to  tremble 
not   the    earth    only,    but   also   the   heavens.  .  .  . 

28 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Wherefore,  receiving  a  kingdom  that  cannot  be 
shaken,  let  us  have  grace  whereby  we  may  offer 
service  well-pleasing  to  God,  with  reverence  and 
awe ;  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire !  " 
(We  are  come  to  Calvary,  where  God  reveals  him- 
self in  the  person  of  his  only-begotten  Son.  But 
this  mountain  also  is  enveloped  in  darkness.  The 
sun  goes  out  at  noon !  For  three  mortal  hours  the 
Saviour  groans  and  agonizes  under  the  burden  of 
the  world's  sin.  At  length  he  cries,  "It  is  fin- 
ished ! "  and  the  veil  of  the  Temple  is  rent  asunder, 
signifying  that  henceforth  the  way  is  open  for  sin- 
ners to  approach  God.  Thus  we,  "  who  were  afar 
off,  are  brought  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ.'J 

'  It  still  remains,  however,  that  God  is  to  be  ap- 
proached with  holy  awe.  The  distance  between  the 
finite  and  the  Infinite  is  not  affected  by  the  Cross. 
God  is  still  God  and  man  is  still  man.; 

"Be  bold;  be  bold;  be  not  too  bold!"  Christ 
did  not  come  into  the  world  to  destroy  the  salutary 
barriers,  but  to  open  up  a  way  of  reconciliation,  so 
that  men  in  a  filial  spirit  might  penitently,  believ- 
ingly  and  lovingly  return  to  God. 

■  It  is  recorded  that  when  John  the  Evangelist  saw 
the  Saviour  in  a  vision,  walking  in  the  midst  of  the 
golden  candlesticks  clothed  in  his  divine  glory,  he 
"  fell  at  his  feet  as  one  dead."  This  was  the  same 
disciple  who  had  lain  with  his  head  on  the  bosom 
of  Jesus  in  the  upper  room ;  but  between  him  and 
the  divine  Son  in  his  transcendent  glory  there  was 

29 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

a  distance  so  great  that  even  grace  could  not  bridge 
it! 

'  "  My  God,  how  wonderful  thou  art ; 

Thy  majesty  how  bright ! 
How  beautiful  thy  mercy-seat 

In  depths  of  burning  light ! 
Oh,  how  I  fear  thee,  living  God, 

With  deepest,  tenderest  fears  ; 
And  worship  thee  with  tender  hope 

And  penitential  tears ! 
Yet  I  may  love  thee  too,  O  Lord, 

Almighty  as  thou  art; 
For  thou  hast  stooped  to  ask  of  me 

The  love  of  my  poor  heart. 
Father  of  Jesus,  love's  reward, 
'  What  rapture  will  it  be. 

Prostrate  before  thy  throne,  to  lie 

And  gaze  and  gaze  on  thee !  "i 


30 


"  MAKER  OF  HEAVEN  AND  EARTH  " 

IT  is  appropriate  that  the  Scriptures  should  at 
the  very  outset  give  an  account  of  the  origin 
of  things:  wherefore  it  is  written,  "  In  the  be- 
ginning God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth." 

In  some  quarters  this  is  called  "  The  Poem  of 
Creation,"  or  "  The  Creation  Legend,"  or  "  The 
Genesis  Fable."  It  is  not  the  scientists,  however, 
but  the  neophytes  of  science,  who  speak  on  this 
wise.  Your  true  scientists  —  such  as  Newton  and 
Faraday  and  Dana  and  Agassiz  and  Henry  and 
Gray  and  Dawson  and  Kelvin  —  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  refer  to  the  cosmogony  of  Genesis  in  rev- 
erent terms.  Their  acquisitions  of  wisdom  have 
not  been  so  illimitable  as  to  prevent  their  sitting  at 
the  feet  of  God. 

It  is  frequently  affirmed  that  "  the  Bible  is  not  a 
scientific  book."  Granted ;  but  it  is  a  true  book ; 
and  whatever  it  affirms  in  the  domain  of  science 
must  therefore  be  scientifically  correct. 

The  majesty  of  the  Genesis  story. is  instantly  ap- 
parent when  contrasted  with  corresponding  records ; 
for  of  making  many  cosmogonies  there  is  no  end. 
If  there  is  any  appreciable  value  in  mere  human 
wisdom  the  Greeks  should  have  been  able  to  speak 

31 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

advisedly  in  these  premises.  The  starting-point  in 
their  cosmogony,  as  elucidated  by  Thales,  was  wa- 
ter; which  in  process  of  time  was  so  wrought  upon 
by  an  all-prevailing  energy  as  to  produce  in  some 
inscrutable  manner  the  present  order  of  things.  But 
this  offers  no  solution  of  the  mystery.  We  are  still 
left  to  inquire,  Whence  the  water  and  whence  the 
all-pervading  force? 

The  starting-point  of  the  cosmogony  of  the 
Egyptians  was  a  promiscuous  pulp,  from  which  the 
elements  separated  of  their  own  accord;  whereupon 
the  mass  took  fire  and  the  upper  portion  warmed 
the  lower  into  life.  From  beneath  crept  forth  rep- 
tiles, and  from  the  rising  smoke  the  fowls  of  the  air : 
while  the  ooze  of  the  river-bed,  like  the  evolution- 
ists' baihybius,  furnished  the  raw  material  for  man. 

The  Hindus  began  with  darkness,  in  which  was  a 
golden  tgg.  The  egg  was  broken  and  Brahma 
issued  forth.  He,  turning,  made  of  one  portion  of 
the  shell  the  heavens  and  of  the  other  the  earth.  His 
body  then  fell  asunder,  and  from  its  parts  proceeded 
the  various  castes  of  men. 

The  Babylonians  set  out  in  much  the  same  way. 
In  the  darkness  was  bom 'a  giantess,  who  contribu- 
ted half  of  her  body  to  make  the  heavens  and  the 
other  half  to  make  the  earth;  while  her  blood,  mix- 
ing with  the  dust,  produced  the  human  race. 

The  starting-point  of  the  Norse  mythology  was 
a  vast  chasm  wherein  a  conflict  was  going  on  be- 
tween fire  and  ice.     Out  of  that  conflict  was  born 

32 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Ymyr,  the  giant.  His  flesh  produced  the  earth, 
his  bones  the  mountains,  his  hair  the  forests,  his 
blood  the  seas  and  rivers,  his  skull  the  dome  of 
heaven;  and  from  his  eyebrows  was  made  a  wall 
around  the  earth  to  prevent  its  inhabitants  from  fall- 
ing off. 

Such  are  the  cosmogonies  of  the  false  religions. 
How  instantly  do  all  thoughtful  men,  not  to  say 
scientists,  take  issue  with  such  puerilities.  Yet 
these  are  the  results  of  the  best  efforts  of  human 
wisdom  to  produce  a  rational  theory  of  origins! 
They  leave  unanswered  the  great  question :  Whence 
came  I,  and  whence  came  the  present  order  of 
things  ? 

We  turn  from  all  such  speculations  to  science ;  and 
it  is  science  that  speaks  in  the  Genesis  record.  Here 
are  three  stupendous  facts,  set  forth  in  the  words: 
B'reshith  Elohim  Bara;  that  is,  "  In  the  beginning 
God  created."  And  these  facts  are  distinctly  sci- 
entific facts.  For  science  means  "  to  know  " ;  and 
in  the  three  words  referred  to  we  have  substantially 
all  that  is  known,  all  that  has  been  thus  far  dis- 
covered and  all  that  is  likely  ever  to  be  found  out 
respecting  the  origin  of  things. 

In  the  first  of  these  words  we  are  advised  that 
there  was  a  beginning. 

Let  it  be  observed  that  there  is  no  beginning  in 
any  other  cosmogony.  There  is  always  something 
beyond :  and  that  something  is  inscrutable.  To  un- 
dertake to  solve  the  problem  as  Plato  did,  by  hy- 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

pothecating  the  eternity  of  matter,  is  simply  a  beg- 
ging of  the  question  by  the  introduction  of  a  guess. 
Science  makes  no  guesses.  If,  in  tracing  things 
back  to  their  beginning,  it  comes  up  against  an  in- 
superable obstacle  it  stops  there,  saying,  "  I  know 
not."  But  the  Genesis  record  does  not  stop  there. 
It  carries  us  back  beyond  man,  organic  life,  cosmos, 
chaos,  matter  and  nebula  into  the  primal  silence  and 
solitude.  Nor  does  it  leave  us  there,  in  a  blank 
domain  of  vacuity  or  nothingness.  It  brings  us  to 
the  doorway  of  the  King's  audience-chamber,  say- 
ing, "  Before  the  mountains  were  brought  forth,  or 
ever  thou  hadst  formed  the  earth  and  the  world, 
even  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  thou  art 
God!" 

So  the  second  of  the  great  words  of  Genesis 
brings  us  face  to  face  with  God,  "  source  of  all  be- 
ing, throned  afar."  And  God,  like  *'  the  begin- 
ning," is  distinctly  a  scientific  fact. 

The  choice  lies  between  three  alternatives. 

The  first  of  these  is  Law.  But  law  yields  no  an- 
swer to^the  problem;  for  law  itself  is  an  effect  and 
demands  a  cause.  There  must  be  a  lawgiver  be- 
hind it.  In  one  of  the  classic  poems  we  have 
an  account  of  a  philosopher  who,  being  ship- 
wrecked on  the  island  of  Rhodes,  as  he  walked 
along  the  beach  found  a  geometrical  figure  traced 
in  the  sand.  "  Here,"  said  he,  *'  are  vestigia  hom- 
inum/'  the  traces  of  man.  He  did  not  need  to  be 
told  that  some  one  had  been  there  before  him,  since 

34 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

the  geometrical  figure  forced  the  conclusion  that 
somebody  had  made  it. 

The  second  alternative  is  Chance.  Can  the  pres- 
ent order  of  things  be  accounted  for  as  "a  fortui- 
tous concourse  of  atoms"?  Let  us  see.  There 
are  twenty-four  letters  in  the  sentence,  "  In  the  be- 
ginning God  created ; "  suppose  we  shake  them  to- 
gether and  cast  them  out.  Now  calculate,  by  the 
law  of  permutations  and  combinations,  how  many 
such  castings  it  would  take  to  produce  the  words 
"  In  the  beginning  God  created."  The  chances  are 
infinitely  against  it.  What  likelihood  is  there,  then, 
that  the  infinitude  of  atoms  which  constitutes  our 
earth,  cast  forth  to  the  mercy  of  fortuitous  circum- 
stance, would  produce  a  world  of  vales  and  forests 
and  mountains,  of  birds  and  beasts  and  men?  The 
suggestion  is  obviously  preposterous. 

The  third  and  last  alternative,  the  only  one  which 
is  left  by  the  rule  of  residues,  is  God.  If  this  does 
not  solve  the  problem,  and  solve  it  scientifically,  I 
know  not  where  a  thoughtful  man  can  look  for  any 
solution  of  it. 

In  Westminster  Abbey  there  is  a  monument  to 
Sir  Isaac  Newton,  on  which  he  is  represented  as 
weighing  the  world  in  a  steelyard,  with  a  look  of 
deep  perplexity  on  his  face,  as  if  he  were  asking, 
"Whence  came  it?"  In  the  Poets'  Corner  of 
the  same  Abbey  there  is  a  monument  to  Joseph 
Addison,  who  proposed  the  answer  in  these 
words : 

35 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

"  The  spacious  firmament  on  high, 
With  all  the  blue  ethereal  sky, 
And  spangled  heavens,  a  shining  frame, 
Their  great  Original  proclaim. 

"  The  unwearied  sun,  from  day  to  day. 
Does  his  Creator's  power  display, 
And  publishes  to  every  land 
The  work  of  an  almighty  hand. 

"  Soon  as  the  evening  shades  prevail. 
The  moon  takes  up  the  wondrous  tale. 
And  nightly  to  the  listening  earth 
Repeats  the  story  of  her  birth ; 

"  While  all  the  stars  that  round  her  bum, 
And  all  the  planets  in  their  turn, 
Confirm  the  tidings,  as  they  roll. 
And  spread  the  truth  from  pole  to  pole. 

**  What  though  in  solemn  silence  all 
Move  round  the  dark  terrestrial  ball  ; 
What  though  no  real  voice  nor  sound 
Amid  their  radiant  orbs  be  found  ? 

"  In  reason's  ear  they  all  rejoice. 
And  utter  forth  a  glorious  voice. 
Forever  singing,  as  they  shine, 
'  The  Hand  that  made  us  is  divine ! '  "J| 

The  last  of  the  three  initial  scientific  words  of 
Scripture  is  Bara^  that  is,  "  created."  The  word  is 
defined  as  the  making  of  something  out  of  nothing. 

36 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Do  you  say  "  impossible  "  ?  Do  you  quote  the 
venerable  maxim,  "  Out  of  nothing,  nothing 
comes "  ?  But  how  do  we  know  that  ?  All  that 
we  mean  is  that  we  never  saw  it.  In  the  nature  of 
the  case  there  can  be  no  analogy  for  Creation.  No 
man  ever  made  anything;  all  we  can  do  is  to  trans- 
form one  thing  into  something  else.  We  live  on  a 
ball  of  matter  eight  thousand  miles  in  diameter; 
and  no  scientist  has  ever  yet  been  able  to  produce  a 
single  grain  of  sand.  Air  and  earth  and  water  are 
teeming  with  life,  yet  no  scientist  has  ever  been  able 
to  originate  a  bioplasmic  cell  or  to  reanimate  a  dead 
fly.  It  is  not  strange,  therefore,  that  the  creative 
act  is  called  in  question.  But  let  us  not  undertake 
to  measure  God  by  finite  analogies.  We  cannot 
take  his  stature  with  a  yardstick  or  his  girth  with  a 
tape  measure.  Creation  is  his  prerogative.  All 
things  are  possible  with  God,  and  "  nothing  is  too 
hard  for  him." 

We  are  like  schoolboys  in  the  playground  at  re- 
cess, talking  in  great  swelling  words  about  the  "  in- 
finite "  and  "  unconditioned  "  and  "  indetermina- 
ble," when  suddenly  the  Master  appears  upon  the 
scene.  What  a  scampering  then!  So  when  we, 
in  our  boasted  wisdom,  have  spoken  our  latest  word 
God  enters  to  say,  "  Ye  do  err,  not  knowing  my 
power ! " 

But,  assuming  the  truth  contained  in  the  three 
scientific  words  of  Scripture,  there  are  questions 
which  still  remain  to  be  answered. 

3; 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

One  of  these  is,  "  When  did  the  creation  occur?  " 
How  long  ago  ? 

In  the  margin  of  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis  we 
find  the  date,  4004  B.  C.  But  this  is  no  part  of 
the  inspired  text.  All  that  we  can  gather  from  the 
record  itself  is  that  the  creation  occurred  "  in  the 
beginning,"  a  beginning  which  was  indefinitely  long 
ago.  And  is  not  that  precisely  what  science  affirms 
about  it? 

The  next  question  is,  "  How  long  were  the  suc- 
cessive periods  of  creation?  " 

It  is  written :  "  In  six  days  Jehovah  made  heaven 
and  earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is."  But  ob- 
jectors say :  "  All  investigations  go  to  show  that 
these  periods  were  of  indeterminable  length."  True ! 
The  chalk  cliffs,  for  example,  are  a  product  of  an- 
imal life,  being  composed  of  the  shells  of  marine 
animalculae.  It  is  calculated  that  it  would  require 
a  century  to  produce  a  layer  of  a  single  foot;  yet 
there  are  cliffs  on  the  coast  of  England  a  thousand 
feet  deep!  How  then  could  the  world  have  been 
framed  in  six  solar  days? 

But  who  said  that  the  world  was  "  created  in  six 
solar  days  "  ?  Certainly  the  Scriptures  do  not  say 
so.  Such  an  assertion  is  in  direct  contravention  of 
their  statement.  The  word  translated  "  day "  is 
yom;  which  is  used  elsewhere  to  indicate  all  sorts 
of  definite  and  indefinite  periods.  The  proof  of 
that  statement  is  at  hand.  In  Genesis  2  '.4,  the  word 
yom  is  made  to  cover  the  entire  creative  week.     In 

38 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Leviticus  25:29  it  refers  to  the  year  of  jubilee. 
In  Jeremiah  46:21,  it  includes  one  of  the  long  cam- 
paigns of  Pharaoh-Necho.  In  Ezekiel  30:3  and 
elsewhere  it  designates  the  millennium  or  thousand 
years  of  the  earthly  reign  of  Christ.  In  Psalm  2  \y, 
it  covers  all  eternity  or  the  lifetime  of  God.  It 
must  be  obvious,  therefore,  that  when  it  is  affirmed 
that  the  Scriptures  limit  the  creation  to  six  solar 
days,  the  statement  is  wholly  without  ground.  The 
Scriptural  record  at  this  point  is  absolutely  sci- 
entific. God  works  through  the  immeasurable 
aeons.  He  makes  no  haste.  The  eternal  years  are 
his. 

The  next  question  has  to  do  with  the  Order  of 
the  creative  epochs. 

And  here  again  we  notice  a  marvelous  coinci- 
dence. The  fossils  and  footprints  in  the  layers  of 
the  primeval  rocks  are  precisely  in  the  Scriptural 
order.  It  would  not  be  fair  to  affirm  that  no  scien- 
tists hold  a  different  view ;  but  is  quite  within  boimds 
to  say  that  the  consensus  is  in  favor  of  the  follow- 
ing order:  (i)  chaos,  with  cosmic  light;  (2)  the 
dividing  of  the  firmaments;  (3)  the  appearing  of 
vegetable  life  in  the  palaeozoic  or  carboniferous  age; 
(4)  the  emergence  of  the  heavenly  bodies;  (5)  the 
appearing  of  the  lower  orders  of  life  in  the  meso- 
zoic  age;  (6)  the  higher  orders  or  mammalia  in 
the  kinozoic  age,  with  man  as  masterpiece  and  sov- 
ereign of  all. 

A  further  question,  and  a  most  important  one,  is, 
39 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

"  Where  did  the  author  of  the  Genesis  record  get 
his  information? " 

To  say  that  the  story  is  a  patchwork  of  contem- 
porary legends  and  traditions  is  only  to  push  the  dif- 
ficulty further  back.  How  could  any  man  speak 
advisedly  in  these  premises?  H  God  created  the 
world,  he  was  alone  when  he  did  it.  There  was  no 
man  there  to  see.  Here  is  his  challenge :  "  Where 
wast  thou  when  I  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth? 
Declare,  if  thou  hast  understanding.  Who  deter- 
mined the  measures  thereof,  if  thou  knowest?  Or 
who  stretched  the  line  upon  it?  Whereupon  were 
the  foundations  thereof  fastened  ?  Or  who  laid  the 
cornerstone  thereof,  when  the  morning  stars  sang 
together  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy?  " 

Is  it  not  evident,  therefore,  that  any  true  cosmog- 
ony must  be  by  direct  revelation  from  God?  The 
word  "revelation"  means  an  unveiling.  If  any 
man  is  qualified  to  write  the  story  of  creation  it 
must  be  because  it  is  divinely  unveiled  before  him. 

Is  it  not  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  method 
would  be  that  by  which  the  prophets  usually  received 
their  communications  from  God  ?  The  man  di- 
vinely chosen  to  record  the  story  of  creation  was 
wrapped  in  an  ecstatic  trance,  in  which  he  saw  a 
moving  panorama  of  events,  broken  by  intervals  of 
darkness,  which  would  naturally  be  characterized  as 
night.]  Let  us  put  ourselves,  as  Hugh  Miller  did, 
in  the  seer's  place  and  observe  what  passed  before 
him. 

4Q 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

First,  a  vision  of  chaos;  a  molten  ball  enveloped 
in  igneous  vapors.  There  is  a  conflict  between  the 
inward  fires  and  cooling  winds  from  the  illimitable 
fields  of  space.  The  surface  of  the  earth  is  con- 
gealed again  and  again,  only  to  be  ruptured  by  the 
inward  heat  and  thrown  into  vast  ridges  of  granite, 
"  like  the  ice-floes  of  a  polar  sea."  The  rising  va- 
pors are  condensed  in  torrents  of  falling  rain,  which 
are  thrown  back  again  like  water  from  a  white-hot 
disk.  It  is  a  hopeless  battle.  The  fires  are  worsted. 
The  earth  gradually  cools.  A  film  forms  over  the 
molten  sea  and  the  primeval  forms  of  continents 
appear.  The  rains  find  a  lodgment,  and  rivers  race 
to  the  lower  levels  to  form  the  primal  seas.  All  is 
darkness  and  turmoil;  reverberating  artillery  of  the 
heavens,  with  fierce  flashes  of  electric  fire;  black 
night  and  confusion  worse  confounded.  Then  light 
appears;  not  in  an  instant,  indeed,  for  this  is  cos- 
mic or  frictional  light.  A  glimmer  here  and  there 
reveals  the  unspeakable  disorder  of  the  frightful 
gloom.  The  scene  now  shifts.  The  curtain  falls; 
there  is  an  interval  of  darkness.  The  evening  and 
the  morning  were  the  first  day. 

In  the  second  scene  the  clouds  are  lifted.  The 
upper  and  lower  firmament  are  parted  asunder;  the 
outlines  of  the  seas  and  continents  are  visible;  the 
great  canopy  is  lifted  oj^erhead,  and  between  it  and 
the  earth  beneath  are  sweeping  tempests  of  corrosive 
gases.  Of  this  period  alone  it  is  not  written,  "  And 
the  Lord  said,  *  It  is  very  good.' "     As  yet  the  at- 

41 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

mosphere  can  sustain  no  form  of  organic  life.  The 
world  has  thus  far  been  only  preparing  for  it.  The 
curtain  falls.  The  evening  and  the  morning  were 
the  second  day. 

The  third  vision  is  of  a  vast  steaming  greenhouse. 
Out  of  the  sluggish  waters  springs  a  luxuriant  vege- 
tation. This  is  the  age  of  bulbous  plants,  of  gigan- 
tic sigillaria  and  lycopodia,  of  ferns  springing  aloft 
like  towering  pines,  growing  rapidly  and  as  rapidly 
decaying  and  falling  upon  one  another,  until  the 
steaming  earth  seems  like  a  vast  tamarack  swamp. 
This  is  the  carboniferous  age.  The  forces  which 
are  to  be  used  in  the  industries  of  the  future  are  now 
being  generated  and  stored  away.  The  eyes  of  the 
dreamer  close.  The  evening  and  the  morning  were 
the  third  day. 

In  the  fourth  vision  are  seen  glimmering  points 
of  light  in  the  upper  firmament.  Thus  far  there 
has  only  been  cosmic  light.  The  sun  and  moon  and 
stars  now  appear  in  clear  outline.  Here  is  the  be- 
ginning of  divisions  of  time;  summer  and  winter, 
seedtime  and  harvest.  The  world  is  getting  ready 
for  history.  Again  the  scene  shifts.  The  evening 
and  morning  were  the  fourth  day. 

The  fifth  vision  brings  in  the  lower  orders  of 
animal  life.  The  egg-bearers  appear  —  reptiles 
and  fishes  and  birds.  A  visit  to  the  Museum  of 
Natural  History  will  throw  light  on  this  period. 
Here  are  lizards  a  hundred  feet  long  crawling  in  the 
slime.     Here  are  creatures  with  eye-sockets  a  foot 

42 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

in  diameter.  Here  are  birds  that  leave  mighty  foot- 
prints on  the  soft  formative  rocks.  The  curtain 
falls  again.  The  evening  and  the  morning  were  the 
fifth  day. 

The  sixth  vision  shows  the  mammals  or  higher 
forms  of  life.  The  earth  is  teeming  with  them  — 
beasts  of  the  field  and  forest.  And  on  this  canvas, 
last  of  all,  supreme  and  pre-eminent,  appears  man, 
having  dominion  over  all  living  things,  erect  and 
sovereign,  with  his  face  uplifted  toward  heaven, 
"  able  to  think  God's  thoughts  after  him."  So  ends 
the  Panorama  of  Creation.  The  evening  and  the 
morning  were  the  sixth  day. 

And  then  God  entered  into  his  rest;  as  it  is  writ- 
ten, "  In  six  days  Jehovah  made  heaven  and  earth, 
the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is,  and  rested  the  sev- 
enth day;  wherefore  Jehovah  blessed  the  Sab- 
bath day  and  hallowed  it." 

How  imposing  is  this  record  as  compared  with 
other  cosmogonies.  What  simplicity!  What  fine 
reasonableness!  What  a  scientific  tone  of  absolute 
certainty!  If  this  be  not  scientific,  how  shall  we 
account  for  the  fact  that  Moses  or  somebody  else 
was  able  thus  to  anticipate  the  approved  results  of 
modern  science?  And  this  so  many  thousands  of 
years  ago! 

But  what  is  the  practical  bearingjpf  such  a  dis- 
course as  this?  Much  every  way.  !If  the  story  of 
creation  is  true  it  furnishes  an  antecedent  probabil- 
ity that  the  Bible  is  true.     On  the  other  hand,  if  the 

43 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

veracity  of  the  author  of  Genesis  is  successfully  im- 
pugned, what  reason  have  we  for  assuming  the  truth 
or  trustworthiness  of  other  Scriptural  authors  who 
assume  to  advise  us  in  spiritual  things?: 

The  first  chapter  of  Genesis  and  the  first  chapter 
of  John  go  hand  in  hand.  "  In  the  beginning  was 
the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the 
Word  was  God.  .  .  .  All  things  were  made  through 
him,  and  without  him  was  not  anything  made  that 
hath  been  made.  .  .  .  And  the  Word  became  flesh 
and  dwelt  among  us." 

I  see  two  thrones:  one  is  the  circle  of  the  universe 
whereon  He  sits,  high  and  lifted  up,  with  veiled 
face,  calling  into  existence  things  that  are  out  of 
those  that  were  not.  The  other  is  on  Calvary; 
where  again  his  face  is  unveiled.  And,  behold,  the 
God  of  creation  is  the  God  of  salvation.  "  The  God 
that  rolls  the  world  along  speaks  all  the  promises." 
The  problem  of  origins  is  the  problem  of  destiny. 

"  'Twas  great  to  call  a  world  from  naught, 
'Tis  greater  to  redeem." 

I  hear  two  fiats :  one  is,  "  Let  there  be  light !  "  and 
cosmos  emerges  from  chaos  in  the  glory  of  day. 
The  other  is  recorded  in  the  saying,  "  The  light  shin- 
eth  in  the  darkness,"  and  further  on  the  words,  "  It 
is  God,  that  said,  Light  shall  shine  out  of  darkness, 
who  shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ." 

44 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

It  is  related  of  Dr.  Simeon  of  Cambridge,  that 
when  he  was  dying  he  said,  "  I  am  not  afraid ;  I  find 
my  comfort  in  the  saying  that  is  written,  '  In  the  be- 
ginning God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth  ' ; 
for  he  who  created  is  able  to  redeem.  The  God  who 
framed  the  world  can  uphold  and  save  me  \^j 


45 


Section  II 
And  in  Jesus  Christ,  His  only  Son,  our  Lord.' 


Fairest  Lord  Jesus, 

Ruler  of  nature! 

O  thou  of  God  and  of  Mary  the  Son !  — 

Thee  will  I  cherish, 

Thee  will  I  honor; 

Thee,  my  delight,  my  glory  and  my  crown ! 

Fair  are  the  meadows, 

Fairer  the  woodlands. 

Robed  in  the  flowery  garb  of  spring : 

Jesus  is  fairer, 

Jesus  is  purer. 

Who  makes  my  sorrowful  heart  to  sing. 

Fair  is  the  moonshine. 

Fairer  the  sunlight, 

Than  all  the  starry  and  celestial  host : 

Jesus  shines  brighter, 

Jesus  shines  purer, 

Than  all  the  angels  heaven  can  boast. 

—  Crusaders'  Hymn. 


"AND  IN  JESUS" 

A  CHRISTENING  is  a  great  event  in  any- 
family  circle.  Fond  parents  ponder  long 
and  with  much  perplexity  over  a  suitable 
name  for  the  little  one.  The  old  names  are  shop- 
worn, and  the  new  are  meaningless;  where  in  the 
world  shall  one  be  found  to  measure  their  devotion 
to  the  wonderful  newcomer,  "  feeling  his  way  out 
from  the  shore  of  the  great  imknown  into  the  light 
of  day  "  ?  There  are  suggestions  from  relatives  and 
friends;  while  the  innocent,  wide-eyed,  wondering 
stranger  who  is  destined  to  carry  his  name  for  better 
or  worse  through  all  the  journey  of  life  is  the  only 
one  who  has  nothing  to  say  about  it. 

But  however  important  such  an  occasion  may  be 
with  us,  it  was  still  more  so  among  the  Jews,  because 
they  endeavored  to  put  their  prayers  and  hopes  and 
aspirations  into  their  children's  names.* 

The  parents  of  the  wonderful  Child  of  Bethlehem 

*  To  the  Jews  the  names  of  their  children  were  omens  and 
prophecies  of  character  and  destiny.  For  example,  Isaac, 
meaning  "Laughter"  (see  Gen.  17:15-19,  also  18:9-15)  ;  Icha- 
bod,  meaning  "  Departed  Glory"  (see  I  Sam.  4:10-22)  ;  Naomi, 
meaning  "Pleasant"  (see  Ruth  1:19-21);  and  Job's  three 
daughters,  "  The  Door,"  "  Cassia  "  and  "  Plenteousness  "  (Job 
42:13,  14).  The  Jews  hoped,  moreover,  to  transmit  their  re- 
ligion to  succeeding  generations  in  this  manner ;  hence  the  fre- 

49 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

were  not  perplexed  as  to  the  choosing  of  a  suitable 
name,  since  God  had  already  provided  it.  He  had 
sent  his  angel  Gabriel,  in  the  annunciation  to  Joseph 
and  to  the  virgin  mother,  directing  that  he  "  should 
be  called  Jesus  " ;  and  Joseph  and  Mary  were  glad 
to  acquiesce  in  the  divine  will. 

But  what's  in  a  name?  In  the  tragedy  of  "  Julius 
Csesar  "  one  of  the  conspirators  asks  of  Brutus, 

"Why  should  his  name  be  sounded  more  than  yours? 
Write  them  together  :  yours  is  as  fair  a  name ; 
Sound  them,  it  doth  become  the  mouth  as  well ; 
Weigh  them,  it  is  as  heavy." 

That  is,  however,  far  from  being  true.  Call  the 
name  of  Csesar;  and  straightway  you  hear  the  foot- 
fall of  an  anny.  Call  the  name  of  Plato ;  and  a  pro- 
cession of  scholars  is  seen  walking  under  the  plane- 
trees  by  the  Ilyssus.  Call  the  name  of  Milton;  and 
you  hear  the  rippling  of  Siloam's  brook  that  flows 
fast  by  the  oracles  of  God. 

But  of  all  the  names  that  were  ever  named  in 
heaven  or  on  earth  there  is  none  like  that  of  Jesus. 
Sound  it  forth,  and  lo,  there  are  voices  of  a  heavenly 
multitude  singing,  "  Worthy  art  thou  ...  to  re- 
ceive the  glory  and  the  honor  and  the  power !  "  And 
from  tens  of  thousands  of  earthly  sanctuaries  comes 
the  echoing  song: 

quent  occurrence  in  Hebrew  names  of  "  El "  and  "  Je,"  the 
initial  syllables  of  Elohim,  the  most  common  title  of  God,  and 
of  Jehovah,  the  "  incommunicable  name,"  which  was  never 
uttered  except  in  this  way. 

50 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

"  All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name ; 
Let  angels  prostrate  fall ; 
Bring  forth  the  royal  diadem 
And  crown  him  Lord  of  all ! " 

This  was  our  Lord's  "  baptismal  name."  He  was 
taken  to  the  sanctuary  by  his  parents  to  be  circum- 
cised on  the  eighth  day  and  was  there  entered  as  a 
member  of  the  Jewish  Church  and  placed  in  cove- 
nant relations  with  God, 

The  name  is  the  Greek  form  of  Joshua,  which  is 
an  abbreviation  of  Jehoshua,  meaning,  "  God  my 
Saviour."  Its  rationale  is  given  in  the  words,  "  For 
it  is  he  that  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins." 
Joshua  of  old  did  for  the  children  of  Israel  what 
Moses  could  not  do.  The  latter  led  them  out  of 
Egypt  to  the  borders  of  the  land  flowing  with  milk 
and  honey  and  left  them  there;  but  Joshua  brought 
them  into  it.  So  it  is  written,  "  What  the  law  could 
not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God, 
sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh 
and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh,  that  the 
ordinance  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us  " ;  that 
is,  grace  succeeded  where  the  law  had  failed  in  mak- 
ing possible  a  deliverance  from  the  penalty  and 
power  of  sin. 

This  is  also  his  most  familiar  name.  His  kins- 
folk and  townsmen  knew  him  that  way.  The  scribes 
and  Pharisees  said,  "  Is  not  this  Jesus,  the  carpen- 
ter, whose  father  and  mother  we  know  ?  "     The 

51 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

blind  man  in  the  ninth  of  John  said,  "  The  man  that 
is  called  Jesus  anointed  mine  eyes."  The  beg- 
gar on  the  way  to  Jericho  addressed  him  as  "  Jesus, 
thou  son  of  David."  The  name  inscribed  upon  the 
titulum  of  the  cross  was,  "  Jesn  Nazaret  Rex  Ju- 
ddorum,"  that  is,  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  King  of  the 
Israel  of  God."  He  wrote  better  than  he  knew ; 
for  the  time  is  coming  when  all  the  kings  of  the 
earth  shall  lay  their  crowns  at  Jesus'  feet;  when 
every  knee  shall  bow  before  him  and  every  tongue 
confess  that  he  was  and  is  what  he  claimed  to  be. 

This  was  also,  in  a  sense,  his  official  name.  It 
was  the  custom  of  the  Romans  to  give  what  was 
called  an  "  agnomen "  to  those  who  distinguished 
themselves  for  prowess  on  the  high  places  of  the 
field.  When  Scipio  returned  from  his  eastern  cam- 
paign he  was  by  a  solemn  decree  of  the  Senate 
called  "  Africanus,"  in  recognition  of  his  services 
in  that  distant  land.  In  the  name  Jesus  there  is  a 
like  reference  to  the  mighty  work  which  he  was  des- 
tined to  accomplish  in  the  behalf  of  man. 

Furthermore,  this  is  his  perpetual  name.  Two 
years  after  the  crucifixion,  when  Saul  of  Tarsus 
was  riding  down  to  Damascus,  breathing  out  slaugh- 
ter against  the  followers  of  Christ,  he  saw  a  light 
above  the  brightness  of  the  sun  and  heard  a  voice 
from  heaven  saying,  "  I  am  Jesus,  whom  thou  perse- 
cutest."  It  thus  appears  that  the  Saviour  kept  his 
name  after  he  had  returned  to  the  glory  which  he 
had  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was. 

52 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Fifty  years  after  the  conversion  of  Paul,  the  aged 
John  in  his  exile  on  Patmos  saw  a  vision  of  a  ma- 
jestic figure  walking  in  the  midst  of  the  golden  can- 
dlesticks, clothed  in  a  garment  down  to  his  feet  and 
bound  with  a  golden  girdle,  with  a  face  shining  as 
the  sun  shineth  in  its  strength.  So  dazzling  was  the 
glory  of  Jesus  in  his  heavenly  estate  that  his  beloved 
disciple  fell  at  his  feet  "  as  one  dead."  But  he  was 
reassured  when  Jesus  laid  his  right  hand  upon  him, 
saying,  "  Fear  not ;  I  am  the  first  and  the  last  and 
the  Living  One:  and  I  was  dead,  and  behold  I  am 
alive  for  evermore,  and  I  have  the  keys  of  death  and 
of  Hades."  In  other  words,  this  was  the  same  Jesus 
whom  John  had  known  in  the  time  of  his  sojourn- 
ing among  men.  It  is  a  blessed  thought  that  we 
shall  know  him  not  only  by  the  scars  of  his  passion 
but  by  this  familiar  name. 

But  more  important  than  all  else  to  us  is  the  fact 
that  Jesus  is  the  name  by  which  his  people  know 
him  best  here  and  now.  One  of  the  clearest  mem- 
ories of  my  boyhood  in  the  far  West  is  of  a  Sunday- 
school  song: 

^'  There  is  no  name  so  sweet  on  earth, 

No  name  so  sweet  in  heaven. 
The  name  before  his  wondrous  birth 

To  Christ  the  Saviour  given. 
We  love  to  sing  around  our  King 

And  hail  him  blessed  Jesus  ; 
For  there's  no  word  ear  ever  heard 

So  dear,  so  sweet  as  Jesus !  ". 

53 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

It  is  perhaps  because  of  that  memory  that  I  love, 
almost  above  any  other  of  our  familiar  hymns,  the 
one  that  Doddridge  wrote  to  be  sung  after  his  ser- 
mon on  Romans  8:35 : 

"  Jesus,  I  love  thy  charming  name ; 
'Tis  music  to  mine  ear ; 
Fain  would  I  sound  it  out  so  loud 
That  earth  and  heaven  might  hear." 

The  question  of  supreme  importance  is,  What  is 
the  personal  significance  of  this  name  to  usf  That 
question  cuts  the  world  in  sunder.  It  divides  all 
people  into  two  classes :  those  to  whom  Jesus  is 
nothing  and  those  to  whom  he  is  everything.  Nor 
is  there  any  middle  ground  to  stand  on. 

To  the  indifferent,  as  to  the  unbelieving,  he  is  but 
a  root  out  of  a  dry  ground :  he  hath  no  form  nor 
comeliness ;  and  they  see  no  beauty  in  him  that  they 
should  desire  him.  They  cannot  help  basking  in 
the  light  of  his  countenance — for  Christian  civili- 
zation is  like  a  vine  that  groweth  over  the  wall, 
whose  clusters  are  plucked  by  every  passer-by  — 
but  how  many  there  are  who  care  nothing  for  the 
giver  and  lack  the  common  courtesy  to  say,  "  I  thank 
you." 

On  the  other  hand,  there  are  multitudes  to  whom 
Jesus  is  everything.  They  have  accepted  him  as 
Priest  and  Prophet  and  King;  and  there  is  no  res- 
ervation in  the  surrender  of  themselves  to   him. 

54 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

They  can  echo  the  words  that  Bengel  wrote  in  a 
love-letter  to  his  wife: 

"  Jesus  in  heaven ; 
Jesus  in  the  heart ; 
The  heart  in  heaven ; 
Heaven  in  the  heart." 

'All  depends,  then,  on  personal  appropriation.  In 
some  of  the  Oriental  churches  it  is  the  custom  of 
those  who  have  thus  accepted  the  Saviour  to  call 
him  by  a  new  name,  not  Jesu  but  Jesui,  the  final 
vowel  standing  for  the  first  personal  pronoun  pos- 
sessive, meaning  "  my  Jesus."  This  is  the  faith 
that  makes  the  great  salvation  ours.  Jesus  on  his 
Cross  saves  no  man;  it  is  Jesus  coming  into  the 
heart,  as  through  an  open  door,  and  taking  posses- 
sion and  control  of  our  lives,  so  that  we  can  say, 
"  My  Lord,  my  Life,  my  Sacrifice,  my  Saviour  and 
myall!;;i 


55 


"  CHRIST  " 

THE  people  of  Nazareth  were  assembled  on  a 
certain  Sabbath  to  hear  one  of  their  towns- 
men discourse  on  the  lesson  of  the  day. 
This  expositor  was  Jesus  the  carpenter,  whose  shop 
was  near  by.  There  were  farmers  in  the  congre- 
gation whose  plows  he  had  made,  and  women,  be- 
hind the  lattice  of  the  synagogue,  whose  crippled 
furniture  had  been  mended  by  him.  They  had 
known  him  as  a  man  of  spotless  character  and  help- 
ful on  occasion  in  the  services  of  the  sanctuary. 
A  few  weeks  before  he  had  closed  his  shop  and  set 
out  on  a  preaching  tour.  Meanwhile  his  friends 
and  neighbors  had  been  hearing  rumors  of  his  elo- 
quent sermons  and  wonderful  works.  He  had  gone 
away  unknown  and  had  now  come  back  famous. 
It  was  not  strange  that  everybody  turned  out  to  hear 
him. 

The  service  began  with  the  Shema,  "  Hear,  O  Is- 
rael, the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord;  and  thou  shalt 
have  no  other  gods  before  him."  The  master  of 
the  synagogue  then  offered  prayer,  which  was  ioU 
lowed  by  the  responsive  chanting  of  a  Psalm.  After 
that  came  the  reading  of  the  Law  and  a  portion  of 
the  Pentateuch,  and  then  the  lesson  of  the  day.  At 
this  point  the  interest  reached  its  height.     In  ac- 

56 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

cordance  with  custom  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue 
called  for  any  competent  and  suitable  person  who 
was  so  disposed  to  read  and  expound  the  lesson. 
And  Jesus  "  stood  up  to  read."  The  scroll  of  the 
prophet  Isaiah  was  taken  from  the  sacred  chest 
and  delivered  to  him,  "  and  the  eyes  of  all  were 
fastened  upon  him." 

Then  he  proceeded  to  read  the  lesson.  It  was  in 
the  sixty-first  chapter  of  Isaiah.  There  are  preach- 
ers who  would  have  paused  just  there  to  argue  the 
current  question  as  to  whether  this  portion  of  the 
book  was  really  written  by  Isaiah  or  by  a  hypothet- 
ical author  known  as  "  Deutero-Isaiah."  If  Jesus 
was  what  he  claimed  to  be,  he  knew  the  merits  of 
that  question  pro  and  contra,  and  could  easily  have 
settled  it.  But  he  had  more  important  business  on 
hand  than  threshing  out  empty  straw.  He  had  a 
vital  message  to  deliver  in  the  exposition  of  the 
passage  before  him,  and  was  as  eager  to  deliver  that 
message  as  the  people  were  to  hear  it. 

"And  he  began  to  say,  To-day  hath  this  scrip- 
ture been  fulfilled  in  your  ears."  Of  the  sermon 
which  followed  we  have  no  report;  but  enough  is 
given,  in  the  proposition  here  laid  down,  to  indi- 
cate the  full  tenor  of  it. 

His  message  is  clear.  He  came  "  to  preach  good 
tidings  to  the  poor,  ...  to  proclaim  release  to  the 
captives,  and  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind,  to  set 
at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised,  to  proclaim  the  ac- 
ceptable year  of  the  Lord." 

S7. 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

By  this  we  are  given  to  understand  that  he  claimed 
to  be  the  Christ.  Could  he  verify  that  claim?  This 
is  what  the  average  man  wants  to  know  above  every- 
thing else.  Was  this  Jesus  the  Messiah  "  whom 
Kings  and  prophets  longed  to  see  and  died  without 
the  sight  "  ? 

("  We  walk  at  high  noon ;  and  the  bells 
Call  to  a  thousand  oracles ; 
And  the  sound  deafens,  and  the  light 
Is  stronger  than  our  dazzled  sight. 
Still  struggles  in  the  ages'  breast, 
With  deepening  agony  of  quest. 
The  old  inquiry,  '  Art  thou  he. 
Or  look  we  for  the  Christ  to  be  ?  '  "  f 

There  was  no  lack  of  interest  in  the  synagogue 
that  day.  The  congregation  was  agreed  as  to  the 
preacher's  power ;  "  all  bare  him  witness,  and  won- 
dered at  his  words  of  grace."  But  there  were  some 
who  doubted,  saying,  "Is  not  this  Joseph's  son?" 
Was  it  possible  that  this  townsman  of  theirs,  whom 
they  had  seen  standing  in  the  shop  with  chips  and 
shavings  about  his  feet,  was  the  long-looked- for 
Messiah,  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God?  There 
were  others  so  filled  with  indignation  at  his  prepos- 
terous claims  that  "  they  rose  up  and  thrust  him 
out."  But  some  believed ;  among  them  his  mother, 
who,  looking  through  the  lattice  behind  which 
the  women  were  accustomed  to  sit,  was  keeping  the 
great  secret  in  her  heart;  and  with  her  doubtless 

58 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

were  others  of  those  "ministering  women"  who 
were  to  be  found  following  Jesus  in  after  days. 

rbf  the  Messianic  titles  used  in  old-time  prophecy 
there  are  three  which' have  surpassing  importance. 
These  are  "  the  Son  of  Man,"  "  the  Son  of  God," 
and  "  Christ."  Our  Lord  assumed  these  titles,  with 
the  honors  and  prerogatives  attending  upon  them,  in 
such  manner  that  no  thoughtful  man  can  deny  his 
claim  to  Messiahship  without  impugning  his  char- 
acter as  an  honest  man.\ 

:  First,  he  claimed  to  be  the  Son  of  Man;  not  a  son 
of  man,  but  distinctively  "  the  Son  of  Man  " ;  that 
is,  the  One  who  was  to  appear  in  human  form  to 
deliver  the  world  from  sin.  Not  less  than  forty- 
six  times  in  the  Gospels  is  this  title  used  with  refer- 
ence to  him.  j  Once,  when  certain  Greeks  came  to 
Jerusalem,  saying,  "  We  would  see  Jesus,"  he  kept 
them  waiting  without  while  he  uttered  these  signifi- 
cant words :  "  The  hour  is  come  that  the  Son  of 
Man  should  be  glorified.  .  .  .  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted 
up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  myself." 
The  people  answered  him,  "  We  have  heard  out  of 
the  law  that  the  Christ  abideth  for  ever :  and  how 
sayest  thou.  The  Son  of  Man  must  be  lifted  up? 
Who  is  this  Son  of  Man  ?  "  Then  Jesus  said,  "  Yet 
a  little  while  is  the  light  among  you.  Walk  while 
ye  have  the  light,  that  darkness  overtake  you  not."  * 

*0f  the  frequent  references  in  prophecy  to  this  Son  of  Man 
it  will  suffice  to  mention  that  in  the  vision  of  Daniel :  Be- 
hold the  four  winds  of  heaven  brake  forth  upon  the  great  sea; 

59 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Second,  he  claimed  to  be  the  Son  of  God:  not  a 
Son  of  God,  but  distinctively  "  the  Son  of  God." 

The  angels  are  sometimes  called  sons  of  God,  as 
in  the  passage,  "  The  morning  stars  sang  together 
and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy."  And  fre- 
quently good  men  are  so  called,  as  where  it  is  writ- 
ten, "  Now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not 
yet  appear  what  we  shall  be." 

But  here  the  title  refers  to  Messiah  as  the  sole 
and  singular  Son  of  God :  in  other  words,  his  "  only- 
begotten  Son." 

Our  sonship  is  by  creation  in  the  divine  likeness, 
and  again  by  adoption  whereby  we  are  enabled  to 
say,  "Abba,  Father";  but  his  Sonship  is  by  an, 
eternal  generation.  God  has  many  sons,  but  only 
one  "  begotten  Son."  And  this  is  the  honor  which 
our  Lord  assumed,  so  making  himself  co-equal  with 
God. 

Third,  Christ,  i.  e.,  the  Anointed  One.  In  this 
title  are  included  both  Son  of  Man  and  Son  of  God. 
In  the  person  of  Christ  the  two  natures  are  knit  to- 
gether in  mystical  imion.     In  all  the  universe  there 

and  four  great  beasts  came  up  from  the  sea,  diverse  one  from 
another."  The  first  was  like  a  lion  ;  the  second  like  a  bear ;  the 
third  like  a  leopard;  the  fourth  a  nondescript  beast,  with  iron 
teeth.  These  were  the  similitudes  of  the  four  great  powers  of 
the  ancient  world  which  rose,  flourished  and  disappeared. 
"  Then  was  another  throne  set  up  and  One  like  unto  the  Son 
of  Man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven  "  and  took  his  place 
upon  it,  of  whom  it  is  written,  "  His  dominion  is  an  everlast- 
ing dominion,  and  his  kingdom  that  which  shall  not  be  de- 
stroyed."    (Dan.  7:1-14.) 

60 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

is  not  another  like  him.     He  stands  solitary  and 
alone  as  the  God-man.. 

As  to  the  claim  of  Jesus  in  these  premises,  there 
is  no  room  for  question.  On  one  occasion  the  Jews 
said,  "  How  long  dost  thou  hold  us  in  suspense  ? 
H  thou  art  the  Christ,  tell  us  plainly."  And  Jesus 
answered,  "  I  told  you,  and  ye  believed  not ;  the 
works  that  I  do  in  my  Father's  name,  these  bear  wit- 
ness of  me."  He  says  he  had  "  already  told  "  them, 
as  if  it  were  his  common,  frequent  claim.  And 
again,  at  the  close  of  his  ministry,  the  High  Priest 
before  whom  he  stood  on  trial  for  his  life  said  to 
him,  "  I  adjure  thee  by  the  living  God  that  thou  tell 
us  whether  thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God." 
Jesus  said  unto  him,  "  Thou  hast  said ;  nevertheless 
I  say  unto  you.  Henceforth  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of 
Man  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  Power  and  comin'g 
on  the  clouds  of  heaven."  That  he  intended  this  to 
be  the  strongest  possible  affirmation  is  evident  from 
what  follows :  "  Then  the  high  priest  rent  his  gar- 
ments, saying,  He  hath  spoken  blasphemy :  what  fur- 
ther need  have  we  of  witnesses?  .  .  .  What  think 
ye?  "  They  answered  and  said,  "  He  is  worthy  of 
death." 

'  It  was  this  claim  to  Messiahship  that  brought 
about  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus.  There  were  other 
charges  in  the  indictment  against  him,  but  he  died 
for  "  making  himself  equal  with  God." J 

It  thus  appears  that  the  Messianic  claim  of  Jesus 
is  beyond  all  question  or  peradventure.     The  only 

6i 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

rational  ground  on  which  it  can  be  rejected  is  that 
he  was  an  impostor. 

iThe  question  clamors  for  an  answer:  "Who  is 
this  Jesus  who  is  called  —  and  calleth  himself  — 
the  Christ?"  If  his  claim  is  valid  the  conclusion 
is  unavoidable:  it  behooves  us  thus  to  receive  hini] 


62 


"HIS  ONLY  SON" 

IT  is  related  that  Jesus  on  one  of  his  journeys 
came  to  Sychar,  where  Jacob's  well  was;  and 
"  being  wearied  with  his  journey  he  sat  thus 
[that  is,  like  any  weary  man]  by  the  well." 

This  man  on  the  well-curb  is  well  worth  looking 
at,  because  —  though  obviously  a  man  —  he  claims 
to  be  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God.  He  claims  to 
have  been  in  the  glory  of  the  Father  '*  before  the 
world  was."  He  claims  to  have  come  into  the  world 
on  a  definite  errand;  namely,  to  deliver  men  from 
the  power  of  sin.  He  claims  that  when  his  errand 
is  accomplished  he  will  return  again  to  the  glory 
which  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was. 
These  are  stupendous  claims.  '  It  behooves  us  to 
know  whether  they  are  true  or  not ;  for  in  them  are 
involved  the  issues  of  life. 

I.  Observe,  he  is  a  man.'  This  is  easy  to  see. 
He  is  "  bone  of  our  bone  and  flesh  of  our  flesh  "; 
that  is,  "  able  to  be  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our 
infirmities,"  because  he  is  one  of  us. 

He  is  a  poor  man.  Not  a  prince  in  purple,  nor  a 
beggar  in  rags,  but  one  of  the  Third  Estate  of  toil- 
ing men.  He  has  no  home  of  his  own.  **  The  foxes 
have  holes,"  he  says,  "  and  the  birds  of  the  heaven 

63 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

have  nests;  but  the  Son  of  Man  hath  not  where  to 
lay  his  head."  He  has  no  well-filled  purse.  If  he 
was  what  he  claimed  to  be,  then  all  the  wealth  in  the 
bosom  of  the  everlasting  hills  belonged  to  him /but 
he  had  stooped  to  share  the  struggles  of  the  poor, 
that  he  might  be  able  to  sympathize  with  all  prison- 
ers of  poverty,  and  that  they,  by  his  poverty,  might 
become  rich  toward  God. 

He  is  a  man  of  sorrows.  You  may  read  that  in 
his  face.  The  chastening  touch  is  there.  He  is 
bearing  some  burden  that  weighs  heavily  upon  him. 
What  is  it  ?  "  Surely  he  hath  borne  our  griefs  and 
carried  our  sorrows."  If  we  follow  this  wayfaring 
man  we  shall  presently  see  him  coming  to  Calvary, 
bearing  his  cross.  This  is  the  burden  of  the  world's 
sin;  and  he  will  bear  that  burden  until  his  great 
heart  shall  break  under  it. 

He  is  a  benevolent  man.  That  also  is  written  in 
his  face.  This  journey  to  Sychar  is  a  labor  of  love. 
"  He  must  needs  pass  through  Samaria,"  a  round- 
about way,  to  meet  a  sinful  woman  who  needed  him. 
This  was  his  habit. 

'^  He  is  a  sinless  man.  And  here  we  part  company 
with  him.  For  "  there  is  no  distinction ;  for  all 
have  sinned  and  fall  short  of  the  glory  of  God." 
It  is  recorded  of  Adam  that  he  was  made  without 
sin  but  also  without  positive  character.  For  that 
he  must  be  exposed  to  trial.  He  was  tempted  ac- 
cordingly, and  fell.  >  This  man  at  the  well  is  "  the 
second  Adam,"  who  was  also  bom  in  innocence  and 

64 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

subject  to  trial.     He  too  was  tempted,  and  woti 
out! 

In  this  he  stands  soHtary  and  alone  among  all 
the  children  of  men.  He  never  committed  a  wrong 
act ;  he  never  spoke  a  wrong  word ;  he  never  enter- 
tained a  wrong  thought.  He  "  hath  been  in  all 
points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin."  His 
challenge  was,  "  Which  of  you  convicteth  me  of 
sin  ?  "  The  answer  was  made  by  Pilate,  who  sen- 
tenced him  to  death :  "  Behold  the  man !  .  .  . 
I  find  no  crime  in  him !  "  And  this  is  the  testimony 
of  all  the  succeeding  ages.  Not  even  the  bitterest 
of  the  foes  of  Jesus  has  found  a  joint  in  the  harness 
of  his  perfect  righteousness.  '  He  stands  alone,  the 
one  incomparable  man.  He  stands  for  man  as  God 
planned  him :  man  without  sin,  worthy  of  his  birth- 
right as  the  child  of  a  holy  God, 

II.  And  therefore  he  is  an  unaccountable  man. 
This  perfection  of  his  is  like  the  x  in  an  algebraic 
problem  which  must  be  reduced  to  known  terms. 
How  shall  that  be  done?  It  is  impossible  unless 
we  are  prepared  to  consent  that  he  was  more  than 
a  man. 

The  problem  was  attempted  by  Theodore  Parker, 
the  great  leader  of  radical  Unitarianism,  who  was 
forced  to  this  conclusion :  "  The  mightiest  heart 
that  ever  beat,  stirred  by  the  spirit  of  God,  wrought 
in  his  bosom.  What  deep  divinity  of  soul!  He! 
unites  in  himself  the  sublimest  precepts  and  divines^' 
practices,  more  than  realizing  the  dream  of  prophets' 

6s 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

and  sages.  He  gives  free  range  to  the  spirit  of 
God.  He  sets  aside  the  Law,  sacred  and  time-hon- 
ored as  it  was;  its  forms,  its  sacrifice,  its  Temple 
and  its  priest.  He  puts  away  the  Doctors  of  the 
Law,  subtle,  learned,  irrefragable;  and  pours  out  a 
doctrine  beautiful  as  the  light,  sublime  as  heaven, 
and  true  as  God !  " 

The  infidel  David  Strauss  faced  the  same  problem 
and  readied  this  conclusion:  "li  in  Jesus  the 
union  of  self-consciousness  with  the  consciousness 
of  God  has  been  real,  and  expressed  not  only  in 
words  but  in  all  the  conditions  of  life,  then  he  rep- 
resents within  the  religious  sphere  the  highest  point, 
beyond  which  posterity  cannot  go:  yea,  which  it 
cannot  even  equal :  inasmuch  as  every  one  who  here- 
after should  climb  to  the  same  height  could  only  do 
so  with  the  help  of  Jesus  who  first  attained  it." 

UL  But  if  this  is  true  it  is  to  affirm  that  Jesus 
was  the  Divine  Man:  tJmt  is,  "  the  only-begotten  Son 
of  God"  and  therefore  equal  zmth  God. 

It  had  been  prophesied  that  when  the  Messiah 
came  it  would  be  as  God's  only-begotten  Son.  "  I 
■will  tell  of  the  decree;  Jehovah  said  unto  me.  Thou 
art  my  son :  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee." 

At  the  baptism  of  Jesus,  and  again  on  the  Mount 
of  Transfiguration,  a  voice  was  heard  from  heaven 
saying,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am 
well  pleased." 

The  disciples  thus  recognized  him,  saying,  "  Of  a 
truth  thou  art  the  Son  of  God  " ;  and  Peter  particu- 

66 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

larly  in  his  good  confession,  "  Thou  art  the  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  Hving  God." 

The  importance  of  a  definite  understanding  in  this 
matter  is  emphasized  in  the  words,  "  He  that  believ- 
eth  on  him  is  not  judged:  he  that  believeth  not  hath 
been  judged  already,  because  he  hath  not  beHeved  on 
the  name  of  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God.""  It 
is  clear,  therefore,  that  there  can  be  no  middle 
ground.  We  are  bound  to  conclude  that  Jesus,  in 
setting  up  his  claim  as  God's  equal,  was  an  impostor 
and  a  charlatan,  or  else  he  was  what  he  claimed  to  be. 

To  my  mind  the  only  solution  of  the  problem  is 
that  which  was  arrived  at  by  Napoleon  when  he  said : 
"  I  know  men ;  and  I  tell  you  that  Jesus  was  not  a 
mere  man !  Superficial  minds  see  a  resemblance  be- 
tween him  and  the  founders  of  empires;  but  there 
is  none.  Everything  in  him  astonishes  me.  His 
spirit  overawes  me;  his  will  confounds  me.  His 
birth  and  life,  the  profundity  of  his  doctrine,  his 
march  across  the  centuries,  are  for  me  a  mystery 
insoluble.  Here  is  a  grandeur  that  overpowers  me. 
In  his  death  sin  is  expiated  and  justice  satisfied. 
/"What  a  mysterious  symbol,  this  Cross  of  the  God- 
man  !  You  speak  of  Caesar  and  Alexander,  of  their 
conquests,  and  the  enthusiasm  which  they  enkindled 
in  the  hearts  of  their  soldiers ;  but  can  you  conceive 
of  a  dead  man  making  conquests  with  an  army  de- 
voted to  his  memory?  Can  you  conceive  of  Caesar 
governing  an  empire  from  the  depths  of  his  mauso- 
leum?    Such  is  the  perpetual  miracle  of  progress; 

67 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

the  power  of  the  Christian's  God !  He  has  founded 
his  empire  on  love,  so  that  at  this  hour  milHons 
would  die  for  him.  What  a  proof  of  his  divinity! 
He  speaks,  and  generations  are  bound  to  him  by  the 
closest  of  ties.  ^  Here  am  I  at  Saint  Helena,  chained 
to  this  rock;  and  who  thinks  of  me?  Behold  the 
destiny  of  Napoleon  the  Great!  What  an  abyss  be- 
tween my  misery  and  the  eternal  reign  of  Christ! 
By  this  I  perceive  that  Jesus  is  God !  " 

The  point  I  am  trying  to  make  is  this :  that  the 
deity  of  Jesus  is  conclusively  proven  by  his  perfect 
humanity.  I  know  there  are  other  ways.  You 
may  demonstrate  his  deity  by  showing  his  perfect 
correspondence  with  the  prophecies  of  Scripture,  or 
by  showing  how  he  marches  through  history  in  the 
vanguard  of  civilization  toward  the  Golden  Age: 
but  to  my  mind  a  stronger  argument  is  based  upon 
his  character  as  the  Unaccountable  Man.  It  seems 
impossible  that  any  one  should  look  fixedly  at  him 
without  perceiving  that  he  was  more  than  man: 
and  if  so,  then  by  the  force  of  irresistible  logic  we 
are  driven  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was  divine,  as 
he  claimed  to  be. 

The  divine  seal  was  put  upon  this  singular  Son- 
ship  of  Jesus  by  his  resurrection  from  the  dead.  He 
had  said,  "  I  am  the  life."  He  had  also  said,  "  I 
have  power  to  lay  down  my  life,  and  I  have  power  to 
take  it  again";  in  other  words,  life  was  his  in  such 
wise  that  he  could  do  what  he  pleased  with  it. 
When  Pilate  said,  "  Knowest  thou  not  that  I  have 

68 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

power  to  crucify  thee?"  his  answer  was,  "Thou 
wouldest  have  no  power  against  me  except  it  were 
given  thee  from  above."/  If  his  Hfe  were  taken 
from  him  it  was  because  he  chose  to  surrender  it: 
and  in  that  case  he  had  "  power  to  take  it  again," 
What  a  stupendous  claim!  No  mortal  man  could 
make  it.  If  he  could  prove  that  assertion  he  would 
vindicate  his  Godhood.     Could  he  prove  it? 

The  record  runs  that  when  the  chief  priests  and 
Pharisees  came  to  Pilate  asking  that  the  sepulcher 
of  Jesus  might  be  made  sure  "  lest  haply  his  disci- 
ples come  and  steal  him  away,"  he  answered,  "  Go, 
make  it  as  sure  as  ye  can."  They  went  accordingly 
and  made  the  sepulcher  "  sure."  They  rolled  a 
massive  stone  before  it,  whereon  was  affixed  the 
great  seal  of  the  Empire,  and  stationed  guards 
round  about  to  defend  it.  He  that  sitteth  in  the 
heavens  shall  laugh !  As  well  might  Pilate  under- 
take to  imprison  the  beams  of  the  ascending  sun!. 

As  the  night  wore  on  the  sentinels  were  pacing 
to  and  fro  when  suddenly  the  ground  began  to  trem- 
ble. A  crash  I  The  rocks  were  reeling  and  totter- 
ing! A  vivid  light  from  heaven!  The  seal  was 
broken ;  the  stone  was  rolled  away ;  the  guards  were 
lying  prostrate  as  dead  men !  Then  from  the  shin- 
ing heights  of  heaven  a  troop  came  gliding  down  and 
the  Prince  of  Life  arose  from  his  tomb,  wiping  the 
death-dew  from  his  brow;  while  angels  thronged 
his  chariot  and  bore  him  aloft  to  the  glory  awaiting 
him.     Listen!     Voices  from  the  distance:     "Lift 

69 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates;  and  be  ye  lifted  up,  ye 
everlasting  doors,  and  the  King  of  glory  will  come 
in!" 

So  Jesus  "  was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God 
with  power  ...  by  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead."  He  rose  not  at  the  behest  of  a  voice  from 
without  but  by  his  own  volition.  This  was  the  cru- 
cial test.  Had  it  failed  he  would  have  shown  him- 
self, like  Samson  shorn  of  his  locks,  "  weak  as  other 
men."  But  the  grave  could  not  confine  him.  f  The 
conclusion  is  irresistible:  This  power  of  an  unde- 
rived  and  indestructible  life  verified  his  claim  as 
very  God  of  very  God. 


70 


"OUR  LORD" 

l^  I  "^O  say  that  we  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  as  our 
I  Lord  is  to  profess  a  complete  surrender  and 
1        subserviency  to  him. 

First,  as  our  Priest.  In  that  capacity  he  medi- 
ates between  us  and  the  holy  God  who  has  been 
justly  offended  by  our  sins.  As  our  Mediator  he 
expiates  our  sins  by  bearing  their  penalty  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree;  thus  making  it  possible  for 
God  on  his  part  to  be  "  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him 
that  hath  faith  in  Jesus,"  and  for  man  on  his  part 
to  be  "  just  before  God."  It  is  thus  as  our  Medi- 
ator that  "  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  "  for 
us.  Such  is  the  divine  plan  of  salvation,  which  is 
called  "  the  gospel  of  reconciliation,"  because  it  sets 
the  sinner  right  before  the  law.  It  is  also  called 
"  the  atonement "  because  it  brings  us  into  a  rela- 
tion of  at-one-ment  with  God. 

Second,  as  our  Prophet  or  authoritative  teacher. 
In  that  capacity  he  instructs  us  in  things  pertaining 
to  the  spiritual  life.  A  true  disciple  of  Christ  will 
never  put  any  other  authority  before  his  or  give 
to  personal  opinion  a  value  above  his  word.  If 
Christ  says  God  is  our  Father,  that  ends  it.  If  he 
says  the  Scriptures  are  true,  that  ends  it.     If  he 

71 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

says,  "  No  man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me," 
that  ends  it.  He  sits  in  the  Court  of  Final  Appeal 
for  all  who  love  him.  The  moment  a  professing 
Christian  prefers  "  I  think  "  to  his  Lord's  "  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,"  he  parts  company  with  him. 

Third,  as  our  King.  The  double  function  of  a 
Sovereign  is  to  command  and  to  protect  his  subjects. 
Our  Lord  does  both.  His  word  of  command  is  final 
to  those  who  follow  him.  When  he  points  to  the 
place  of  secret  prayer,  saying,  "  Enter  and  shut  to 
the  door  "  ;  or  to  the  communion  table,  saying,  "  Do 
this  in  remembrance  of  me  " ;  or  to  the  harvest  field, 
saying,  "  Go,  work  to-day,"  a  sincere  Christian  asks 
no  questions,  interposes  no  objections,  takes  advan- 
tage of  no  subterfuges,  but  proceeds  to  do  what  his 
Lord  requires  of  him.  It  is  this  spirit  of  implicit, 
unhesitating,  unswerving  and  joyous  obedience  that 
makes  the  yoke  easy  and  the  burden  light. 

There  is  no  Overlord  like  ours ;  none  so  wise,  none 
so  loving,  none  so  sympathetic  with  infirmity  or  so 
strong  to  overcome  it,  none  so  worthy  of  grateful 
and  uncalculating  loyalty  on  the  part  of  those  who 
serve  him. 

He  said,  "  Ye  call  me  Teacher,  and  Lord,  and  ye 
say  well."     li  so,  what  follows? 

"  I'll  go  where  you  want  me  to  go,  dear  Lord, 
Over  mountain  and  plain  and  sea ; 
I'll  do  what  you  want  me  to  do,  dear  Lord ; 
I'll  be  what  you  want  me  to  be."  • 

72 


Section  III 

"  Who  was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  born  of 
the  Virgin  Mary." 


There  comes  a  galley  laden, 

A  heavenly  freight  on  board ; 
It  bears  God's  Son,  the  Saviour, 

The  great  undying  Word. 

And  proudly  floats  that  galley 

From  troubled  coast  to  coast : 
Its  sail  is  love  and  mercy, 

Its  mast,  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Now  earth  hath  caught  the  anchor, 
The  ship  hath  touched  the  strand ; 

God's  Word  in  fleshly  garment  — 
The  Son  —  steps  out  on  land. 

—  John  Tauler'. 


"WHO  WAS  CONCEIVED  BY  THE 

HOLY  GHOST,  BORN  OF  THE 

VIRGIN  MARY." 

THE  fact  that  avowed  unbelievers  not  infre- 
quently draw  the  impassable  line  at  the  doc- 
trine of  the  virgin  birth  of  Jesus  should 
occasion  no  surprise,  since  it  is  written,  "  Great  is 
the  mystery  of  godliness;  He  who  was  manifested 
in  the  flesh;  .  .  .  angels  desire  to  look  into  it." 
But  that  any  professing  Christian  should  entertain 
a  doubt  in  these  premises  is  vastly  surprising;  and 
still  more  so  that  any  evangelical  minister  should 
withhold  his  yea  and  amen.  This  is  difficult  to 
reconcile  with  even  the  lowest  view  of  common  hon- 
esty: inasmuch  as  such  ministers  are  in  covenant 
bonds  with  respect  to  this  doctrine,  not  only  to  re- 
ceive but  to  "  maintain  and  defend  it." 

fn  a  recent  clerical  meeting  in  New  York  a 
clergyman  said,  "  I  do  not  hesitate  to  disavow  the 
dogma  of  the  virgin  birth  " ;  and  a  professor  in  one 
of  our  theological  seminaries  has  said  still  more  em- 
phatically, "  To  accept  the  Scriptural  account  of  the 
supernatural  birth  of  Jesus  at  this  stage  of  the 
world's  progress  is  absurd."  No  one  questions  the 
right  of  anybody  to  hold  such  opinions  in  the  proper 

?5 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

place;  but  whether  that  proper  place  is  in  a  fellow- 
ship pledged  to  maintain  and  defend  the  doctrine 
referred  to  is  another  matter.  It  need  scarcely  be 
said  that,  if  left  to  a  jury  of  business  men,  the  de- 
cision would  be  that  such  men  are  not  honest  men.i 

It  is  related  of  Peter  that  he  thrice  denied  his 
Lord  and  repented  with  bitter  tears;  but  those  de- 
nials were  due  to  a  panic  of  cowardice  and  they  did 
not  affect  the  absolute  sincerity  of  his  confession, 
"  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God  " ; 
nor  in  thus  denying  his  Lord  did  he  deliberately 
violate  any  vow  of  loyalty  or  hold  his  Master  up  to 
blasphemous  derision  as  the  ill-begotten  son  of  Jo- 
seph and  therefore  somewhat  less  than  an  average 
man. 

It  should  be  added,  however,  that  such  instances 
are  few  and  far  between.  The  vast  majority  of 
ministers  are  as  honest  as  the  light  and  as  true  as 
steel.  Our  Lord  said  that  in  his  church  the  wheat 
and  the  tares  must  grow  together  until  the  great 
day;  and  he  forewarned  his  people  to  beware  of 
false  teachers  whose  errors,  while  they  would  as- 
suredly lead  many  astray,  could  not  mislead  his  true 
followers,  since  his  sheep  "  know  his  voice  "  and  do 
follow  him. 

But  now,  to  address  ourselves  to  the  truth  in 
question.  Why  should  not  Christ  he  horn  in  this  zvay? 

I.  It  is  zmthin  the  bounds  of  possibility,  because 
"with  God  all  things  are  possible."  Of  course  if 
the  supernatural  be  denied  this  miracle  goes  with  it. 

76 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

If  law  is  superior  to  the  Law-giver  then  all  births 
are  alike,  and  God  is  here,  as  everywhere  else,  bowed 
out  of  doors.  But  such  crass  materialism  as  this 
has  obviously  no  place  among  Christians  and  finds 
its  best  answer  in  the  words,  "  Ye  do  err,  not  know- 
ing the  power  of  God." 

IL  The  supernatural  birth  of  the  Messiah  zvas 
prophesied  in  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures.  The 
first  sinner  received  a  promise  that  the  "  Seed  of 
woman  "  should  come  in  the  fullness  of  time  to 
"  bruise  the  serpent's  head."  How  the  son  of  a 
woman  could  have  sufficient  power  to  deliver  a 
world  of  sinners  from  the  bondage  of  sin  was  ex- 
plained in  such  subsequent  prophecies  as  "  Unto  us 
a  Child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given;  and  his 
name  shall  be  called  Wonder fujl,  Counsellor,  mighty 
God,  Everlasting  Father,  Prince  of  Peace,"  and  still 
more  explicitly,  "  A  virgin  shall  conceive  and  bear 
a  Son  and  shall  call  his  name  Immanuel,"  which 
being  interpreted  is,  "  God  with  us." 

HL  The  fulfillment  of  all  such  prophecies  in 
Christ  was  affirmed  by  Christ  himself.  He  knew 
the  Old  Testament  by  heart  and  was  familiar  with 
its  Messianic  predictions.  On  the  way  down  to 
Emmaus  with  two  of  his  disciples  it  is  written  that, 
"  beginning  with  Moses  and  from  all  the  prophets, 
he  interpreted  to  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the 
things  concerning  himself."  In  other  words,  be- 
ginning with  the  protevangel  respecting  "  the  Seed 
of  woman  "  he  followed  the  red  trail  down  to  the^ 

77  ■      ' 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

words  of  Malachi,  "  The  Sun  of  Righteousness  shall 
arise  with  healing  in  his  wings." 

The  Old  Testament  was  his  Bible,  his  only  Bible, 
and  he  was  not  only  familiar  with  it  but  absolutely 
loyal  to  it.  He,  who  probably  understood  Scrip- 
ture as  well  as  any  Biblical  expert  of  modem  times, 
never  uttered  a  word  or  syllable  to  indicate  that  he 
supposed  it  to  contain  a  single  error  or  that  he  did 
not  believe  it  from  beginning  to  end ;  and  those  who 
sincerely  profess  to  believe  in  Christ,  and  who  have 
unreservedly  accepted  him  as  their  Prophet,  or  au- 
thoritative teacher,  will  agree  that  the  Book  which 
was  good  enough  for  him  ought  to  be  good  enough 
for  us. 

If  so,  then  we  stand  pledged  to  his  view  of  all 
those  Messianic  prophecies  which  are  fulfilled  in  his 
supernatural  birth. 

It  is  affirmed,  however,  by  those  who  deny  that 
Christ's  birth  was  out  of  the  ordinary,  that  "  he 
does  not  say  so,"  This  is  not  true.  It  would 
scarcely  be  expected  that  he  would  have  much  to 
say  about  the  manner  of  his  birth,  but  on  occasion  he 
frankly  and  explicitly  referred  to  it.  Take  for  ex- 
ample his  interview  with  the  religious  leaders  of  the 
Jews  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  John: 

And  he  said  unto  them,  "  Ye  are  from  beneath;  I 
am  from  above:  .  .  .  except  ye  believe  that  I  am 
he  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins." 

They  said  therefore,  "  Who  art  thou?  " 

He  answered,  "Even  that  which  I  have  also 
78 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

spoken  unto  you  from  the  beginning.  .  .  .  When 
ye  have  lifted  up  the  Son  of  Man,  then  shall  ye 
know  that  I  am  he.  .  .  .  If  ye  abide  in  my  word, 
then  .  .  .  ye  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth 
shall  make  you  free." 

They  said  unto  him,  "  We  are  Abraham's  seed, 
and  have  never  yet  been  in  bondage  to  any  man." 

Jesus  said,  "  I  speak  the  things  which  I  have  seen 
with  my  Father;  and  ye  also  do  the  things  which  ye 
heard  from  your  father.  .  .  .  If  ye  were  Abra- 
ham's children,  ye  would  do  the  works  of  Abraham. 
But  now  ye  seek  to  kill  me!" 

Thereupon  they  taunted  him  with  the  rumor  of 
his  ill-begotten  birth;  *  to  which  he  calmly  replied, 
"  I  came  forth  and  am  come  from  God;  for  neither 
have  I  come  of  myself  but  he  sent  me.  .  .  .  If  a 
man  keep  my  zvord  he  shall  never  see  death." 

They  asked  him,  "Art  thou  greater  than  our 
father  Abraham,  who  died?" 

He  answered,  "  Your  father  Abraham  rejoiced 
to  see  my  day,  and  he  saw  it  and  was  glad." 

They  said,  "  Thou  art  not  yet  fifty  years  old,  and 
hast  thou  seen  Abraham?" 

He  answered,  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you. 
Before  Abraham  was  born  I  am." 

This  reference  to  his  birth  is  surely  as  clear  as 
could  be  expected;  and,  being  joined  not  only  with 
the  distinct  affirmation  of  his  pre-existence  and  the 
most  solemn  title  of  Jehovah   (the  I  AM  of  the 

*"They  said  unto  him,  We  were  not  born  of  fornication; 
we  have  one  father,  even  God." 

79 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

burning  bush)  it  leaves  no  room  for  doubt  as  to  his 
assumption  of  equality  with  God. 

IV.  The  miraculous  birth  of  Jesus  is  vouched 
for  by  the  inspired  writers  of  the  New  Testament. 

This  fact,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  is  not  denied  in 
any  quarter;  but  their  trustworthiness  and  authority 
as  writers  claiming  the  infallibility  of  divine  in- 
spiration is  called  in  question  by  all  so-called  "  lib- 
erals." This  throws  us  back  not  only  upon  our 
Lord's  clear  view  of  inspiration,  but  upon  his  state- 
ment that  the  teaching  of  his  apostles  was  to  be  ac- 
corded an  authority  equal  to  his  own.  "  He  that 
heareth  you  heareth  me,"  he  said,  and  vice  versa. 
He  thus  put  his  imprimatur  upon  their  teachings  in 
such  a  manner  that  no  one  can  be  warranted  in  say- 
ing, "  I  believe  what  Jesus  says,  but  reserve  the 
right  to  reject  Peter  and  Paul."  As  followers  of 
Christ  we  are  bound  to  accept  the  inspired  record 
as  of  equal  reliability  from  beginning  to  end. 

V.  The  singular  birth  of  Jesus,  as  prophesied 
and  thus  affirmed  by  himself,  is  a  necessary  factor 
in  the  divine  plan  of  salvation. 

In  Anselm's  "  Cur  Deus  Homo "  he  argues : 
The  Saviour  must  needs  be  man,  that  he  may  be 
able  to  suffer  and  thus  atone  for  sin;  and  he  must 
needs  be  God,  that  he  may  suffer  sufficiently  to 
atone  for  the  world's  sin;  wherefore  he  must  needs 
be  Theanthropos  or  God-man  —  that  is.  Very  Man 
of  Very  Man  and  also  Very  God  of  Very  God,  and 
both  in  the  same  person  —  else  he  cannot  save  us. ' 

80 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

VI.  The  Scriptural  account  of  the  Nativity  has 
been  accepted  by  the  Universal  Church  from  the  be- 
ginning until  nozir. 

In  fact  the  Church  is  founded  upon  this  truth. 
When  Peter  witnessed  his  good  confession,  "  Thou 
art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,"  our  Lord 
said,  "  Upon  this  rock  will  I  build  my  Church,  and 
the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it."  * 
No  church,  therefore,  which  rejects  the  propositiQn 
thus  affirmed  can  truly  claim  to  be  a  Christian 
Church ;  and  that  proposition  can  only  be  construed 
as  designating  the  sole  and  singular  sonship  of 
Jesus  as  the  one  only-begotten  Son  of  God. 

And  just  here  is  the  rational  basis  of  Church 
union.  So  long  as  human  nature  is  what  it  is  we 
can  neither  wish  nor  hope  for  uniformity  among  all 
denominations;  but  there  is  no  reason  why  all  who 
truly  believe  in  Christ  as  the  Son  of  the  living  God 
should  not  clasp  hands  and  agree  to  differ  as  to 
many  non-essentials  which  now  divide  them. 

The  trouble  is,  however,  that  ultimate  authority 
for  the  divinity  of  Christ  is  found  only  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  that  authority  is  reduced  to  the  vanish- 
ing point  when  the  Scriptures  are  regarded  as  any- 
thing less  than  the  inspired  and  therefore  inerrant 
Word  of  God. 

*  The  words  Petros,  a  stone,  and  petra,  a  rock,  are  not 
identical.  The  rock  was  Peter's  confession  of  the  divinity  of 
Christ.  Petros,  a  stone  hewn  out  of  the  rock,  was  the  new 
name  which  he  received  because  he  had  so  courageously  af- 
firmed it. 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

So  it  would  appear  that  the  incarnate  Word  and 
the  written  Word  stand  together,  not  only  as  a  com- 
plete binomial  revelation  of  all  the  spiritual  truths 
which  are  necessary  to  our  salvation  but  as  a  con- 
sensus of  faith  among  all  believers.  And  this  is  pre- 
cisely what  should  be  expected  in  view  of  the  un- 
swerving loyalty  of  Christ  to  the  Scriptures  and 
their  equal  and  corresponding  loyalty  to  him. 

It  only  remains  to  say  that  the  conclusion  of  the 
argument,  so  far  as  it  is  related  to  our  personal  sal- 
vation, must  be  found  in  our  individual  experience 
of  the  omnipotent  grace  of  Christ  as  the  veritable 
and  only-begotten  Son.  'The  effort  of  the  disciples 
to  convince  Thomas  of  the  resurrection  of  his  Lord 
was  of  no  avail  until  Thomas  for  himself  saw  Jesus 
marked  with  the  stigTnata  of  his  passion  and  his  tri- 
umph over  death.  So,  when  wit  and  reason  fail, 
the  seeking  sinner  meets  a  seeking  Saviour  face  to 
face  and,  closing  in  with  his  overtures  of  mercy, 
cries,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God  !jj 


82 


Section     IV 

"  Suffered   under   Pontius   Pilate,   was   crucified, 
dead  and  buried.     He  descended  into  Hell." 


fl'll 


carve  our  passion  on  the  bark ; 
And  every  wounded  tree 
Shall  drop  and  bear  some  mystic  mark 

That  Jesus  died  for  me. 
The  swains  shall  wonder  when  they  read, 

Inscribed  on  all  the  grove, 
That  heaven  itself  came  down  and  bled 
To  win  a  mortal's  love. 

—  Isaac  IVatts.' 


"SUFFERED" 

THE  passion  of  Christ  was  necessary  to  the 
carrying  out  of  his  great  purpose  of  re- 
demption. As  God  he  could  not  "  suffer," 
because,  to  use  the  phrasing  of  the  early  theolo- 
gians, "  God  hath  neither  body,  parts  nor  passions." 
In  order  to  suffer,  in  the  human  sense  of  suffering, 
he  must  become  man.  And  this  he  did;  as  it  is 
written,  "  Since  then  the  children  are  sharers  in 
flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  in  like  manner  par- 
took of  the  same;  that  through  death  he  might 
bring  to  naught  him  that  had  the  power  of  death." 
(Hebrew  2:14-2] 

In  order  to  fi't  himself  for  the  accomplishment  of 
his  great  purpose  he,  in  the  fullness  of  time,  emptied 
himself  of  the  form  of  God  and  was  found  in  fash- 
ion as  a  man. 

His  humanity  was  real.  No  halo  encircled  his 
head.  He  wore  no  royal  purple.  He  had  given 
up  all  outward  form  and  semblance  of  Deity  and 
become  to  all  appearance  a  mere  man;  insomuch 
that  there  was  "  no  form  nor  comeliness  "  nor  any 
"  beauty  that  we  should  desire  him." 

In  the  terminology  of  the  schools  this  is  called 
the  "kenosis,"  or  self-emptying  of  Christ.     It  is 

85 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

important  that*  we  should  understand  just  what  it 
was  that  he  gave  up  when  he  thus  "  took  upon  him 
the  form  of  a  servant  and  was  made  in  the  Hkeness 
of  men." 

The  classical  text  in  this  connection  is  Philip- 
plans  2  :i-i i  :  "If  there  is  therefore  any  exhorta- 
tion in  Christ,  if  any  consolation  of  love,  if  any 
fellowship  of  the  Spirit,  if  any  tender  mercies  and 
compassions,  make  full  my  joy,  that  ye  be  of  the 
same  mind,  having  the  same  love,  being  of  one  ac- 
cord, of  one  mind;  doing  nothing  through  faction 
or  through  vainglory,  but  in  lozvliness  of  mind  each 
counting  other  better  than  himself;  not  looking  each 
of  you  to  his  ozun  things,  but  each  of  you  also  to 
the  things  of  others.  Have  this  mind  in  you,  which 
was  also  in  Christ  Jesus:  zvho,  existing  in  the  form 
of  God,  counted  not  the  being  on  an  equality  with 
God  a  thing  to  be  grasped:  but  emptied  himself, 
taking  the  form  of  a  servant,  being  made  in  the 
likeness  of  men;  and  being  found  in  fashion  as  a 
man,  he  humbled  himself,  becoming  obedient  even 
unto  death,  yea,  the  death  of  the  cross.  Where- 
fore also  God  highly  exalted  him,  and  gave  unto 
him  the  name  which  is  above  every  name;  that  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of  things 
in  heaven,  and  things  on  earth,  and  things  under  the 
earth,  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the 
Father." 

Let  it  be  observed,  then,  that  he  did  not  empty 
86 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

himself  of  his  Godhood,  but  only  of  its  form  or 
fashion.  In  the  nature  of  the  case  he  could  not 
cease  to  be  God ;  but  he  could  divest  himself  of  "  the 
glory  which  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  world 
was,"  and  this,  in  the  incarnation,  he  proceeded  to 
do. 

He  emptied  himself  of  the  outward  form  and 
exercise  of  his  divine  attributes.  In  his  earthly 
ministry  he  held  these  prerogatives  in  abeyance ;  but 
they  were  always  at  his  command,  standing  about 
him  like  genii  awaiting  his  nod  and  beck. 

Where  was  his  Omnipresence  now?  He  whom 
the  heaven  of  heavens  could  not  contain  had  con- 
sented to  be  enclosed  within  the  narrow  bounds  of  a 
fleshly  tabernacle;  yet  on  occasion  he  could,  by  the 
exercise  of  his  will,  be  here  and  there  and  every- 
where. When  his  disciples  were  in  the  upper  room, 
with  the  doors  closed  for  fear  of  their  enemies,  he 
suddenly  stood  in  their  midst.  No  bolts  nor  bars 
could  restrain  him. 

And  where  was  his  Omniscience  now  ?  In  speak- 
ing of  the  Judgment  he  said:  "Of  that  day  and 
hour  knoweth  no  one,  not  even  the  angels  of  heaven, 
neither  the  Son,  but  the  Father  only."  In  other 
words,  he  had  put  away  the  exercise  of  this  attri- 
bute; yet  on  occasion  he  could  recall  it,  so  that  the 
past  and  the  future  were  before  him  as  an  open 
book. 

And  where  was  his  Omnipotence  now?  He  who 
had  created  the  world  and  all  things  therein,  so  that 

87 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

"  without  him  was  not  anything  made  that  was 
made,"  was  subject  to  the  common  infirmities  of 
human  life.  He  was  hungry  and  thirsty  Hke  other 
men.  He  lay  asleep  on  the  pilot's  cushion  of  a  lit- 
tle boat,  weary  with  the  labors  of  the  day;  but  when 
the  storm  arose  and  the  sailors  bent  over  him  cry- 
ing, "  Teacher,  carest  thou  not  that  we  perish?  "  he 
summoned  his  almightiness  and,  lifting  his  hands 
above  the  surging  waves,  bade  them  "  be  still  " ;  and 
like  naughty  children,  they  sobbed  themselves  to 
sleep. 

He  emptied  himself,  not  only  of  the  form  of  God- 
hood,  in  this  manner,  but  also  of  the  form  of  Lord- 
ship as  well ;  for,  "  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man, 
he  humbled  himself,  becoming  obedient."  He  who 
was  the  Lord  of  the  universe  —  so  lordly  that  when 
he  spake,  not  only  an  innumerable  host  of  angels 
and  archangels,  but  the  very  stars  in  their  courses, 
answered,  "  Here  are  we !  " —  consented  to  pass 
under  a  yoke  of  servitude  that  he  might  accomplish 
the  great  purpose  before  him. 

He  bowed  at  the  behest  of  Caesar,  of  Caesar  who 
was  personally  no  more  important  in  his  sight  than 
a  mote  flying  in  a  sunbeam !  Nay,  more,  he  became 
the  servant  of  every  man ;  affirming  that  he  had 
come  "  not  to  be  ministered  unto  but  to  minister 
and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many."  He  was 
the  servant  of  every  sinner,  of  every  drab  and 
drunkard  on  earth,  having  come  to  minister  unto 
all. 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Still  further,  he  "  became  obedient  unto  death." 
The  Lord  of  life,  in  whom  we  live  and  move  and 
have  our  being,  bowed  his  head  to  the  King  of  Ter- 
rors and  consented  to  pass  through  the  little  wicket- 
gate  that  awaits  every  one  of  us. 

In  this,  however,  he  did  not  cease  to  be  the  Prince 
of  Life.  If  he  consented  to  die,  it  was  not  because 
he  had  no  power  to  live.  "  I  have  power,"  he  said, 
"  to  lay  down  my  life,  and  I  have  power  to  take  it 
again," 

He  was  no  struggling  victim  like  Iphigenia,  the 
daughter  of  Agamemnon,  who  was  dragged  to  the 
altar  for  the  deliverance  of  her  people.  He  had 
volunteered  to  die,  saying,  "  Lo,  I  am  come ;  in  the 
roll  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me:  I  delight  to  do 
thy  will." 

Still  further,  he  emptied  himself  of  the  form  of 
his  Innocency.  He  became  obedient  "  even  to  the 
death  of  the  cross,"  consenting  to  take  the  place  of 
a  malefactor  that  he  might  die  vicariously  for  all 
malefactors  on  the  accursed  tree. 

'  He  lifted  the  burden  of  the  world's  sin  and  bore 
it  to  Calvary,  until  his  great  heart  broke  under  it. 
He  went  out  into  the  outer  darkness  of  expiation. 
He  went  down  into  the  lowest  depths  of  retribution. 
He  could  not  surrender  his  holiness,  but  he  could 
and  did  actually  surrender  the  consciousness  of  it. 
He  laid  aside  the  fashion  of  his  innocency  as  a  gar- 
ment, that  he  might  be  clothed  upon  with  our  shame. 
In  this  he  became  obedient  not  merely  to  physical 

89 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

but  to  spiritual  suffering  in  our  behalf.  He  was 
minded  to  die  the  death  which,  under  the  law,  is  im- 
posed upon  every  mortal  man :  "  The  soul  that  sin- 
neth,  it  shall  die."  Not  otherwise  can  we  under- 
stand the  awful  cry  that  marked  the  consummation 
of  his  anguish,  "  Eloi,  Eloi,  lama  sabachthani! " 
The  infinite  Son  of  God,  panoplied  with  all  divine 
excellences,  "  holy,  harmless  and  undefiled,"  free 
from  the  slightest  taint  or  suggestion  of  personal 
sin,  so  changed  places  with  us  that  he  became  in  his 
own  consciousness  the  great  sufferer  for  sin.  \ 


90 


"UNDER  PONTIUS  PILATE" 

r- 

A  STRANGE  immortality  this  for  a  man 
so  proud  of  his  honor  as  Pilate  was! 
The  world  might  have  forgotten  that  he 
ever  lived,  despite  the  fact  that  he  was  Procurator 
of  Judaea,  were  it  not  that  he  stands  pilloried  for- 
ever in  the  shadow  of  a  prisoner  at  the  bar. 

The  first  time  Pilate  ever  saw  Jesus,  so  far  as  we 
know,  was  on  an  April  morning  when  the  mob, 
with  Jesus  in  rits  hands,  came  surging  across  the 
bridge  that  spanned  the  Tyroixeon  Valley  and  pre- 
sented itself  before  the  gates  of  the  Prsetorium 
clamoring  for  an  audience.  If  Pilate  was  out  of 
humor,  by  reason  of  this  unseemly  interruption  of 
his  morning  sleep,  he  probably  did  not  show  it.  He 
met  his  petitioners  with  a  smile,  as  became  a  poli- 
tician, taking  in  the  situation  at  a  glance.  He  had 
heard  of  Jesus  frequently,  no  doubt,  but  he  scarcely 
expected  to  see  him  in  this  guise ;  a  prisoner,  worn 
and  haggard  from  a  night  of  suffering,  with  a 
hempen  rope  about  his  neck  and  his  hands  bound 
behind  him. 

And  Pilate  said,  "What  accusation  bring  ye 
against  this  man?  " 

The  answer  was  imperatively  curt  and  insolent: 

91 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

"If  this  man  were  not  an  evil-doer,  we  should  not 
have  delivered  him  up  unto  thee." 

'In  fact  the  charge  against  him  was  twofold:  on 
the  one  hand  he  was  accused  of  treason  in  claiming 
to  be  a  King;  and  on  the  other  of  blasphemy  in 
claiming  to  be  equal  to  God.  The  latter  charge, 
being  of  a  religious  nature,  lay  outside  the  purview 
of  the  Governor;  but  of  the  other,  as  one  of  Csesar's 
magistrates,  he  was  bound  to  take  cognizance.  He, 
therefore,  led  the  prisoner  aside  and  questioned  himj 

"  Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews?  " 

The  answer  of  Jesus  was  an  emphatic  affirmative, 
"  Thou  sa%est " ;  but  he  added,  "  My  Kingdom  is 
not  of  this  world.  .  .  .  To  this  end  have  I  been 
born,  and  to  this  end  am  I  come  into  the  world,  that 
I  should  bear  witness  unto  the  truth." 

At  the  close  of  this  interview  Pilate  brought  his 
prisoner  forth  and  pronounced  a  definite  sentence 
of  acquittal,  "  I  find  no  crime  in  him."  The  mob 
was  thereby  kindled  into  new  fury  and  demanded 
the  more  urgently  the  death  of  the  prisoner.  Pilate 
was  at  his  wits'  end.     What  could  he  do? 

The  fact  that  Jesus  was  a  Galilaean  suggested  an 
escape  from  his  dilemma.  It  so  happened  that  at 
this  time  Herod,  the  Tetrarch  of  Galilee,  was  visit- 
ing in  Jerusalem;  and  as  the  prisoner  properly  be- 
longed to  his  jurisdiction,  the  perplexing  case  was 
turned  over  to  him. 

But  Pilate  reckoned  without  his  host.  Herod, 
who  was  familiarly  known  as  "  the  fox,"  was  too 

92 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

clever  to  be  caught  napping  in  that  way.  He  was 
glad  indeed  to  see  Jesus,  "  because  he  had  heard 
concerning  him,"  but  he  decHned  to  have  anything 
to  do  with  the  case  officially.  He  turned  him  over 
accordingly  to  his  soldiers,  who  having  set  him  at 
naught  and  mocked  him,  gave  him  back  to  the  mob; 
who  brought  him  again  to  Pilate,  arrayed  in  cast-off 
purple.  What  now  should  the  time-server  do  with 
him? 

A  happy  thought!  It  was  the  custom  to  release 
a  prisoner  at  the  Passover,  He  gave  the  people  the 
choice  of  two:  "  Whom  will  ye  that  I  release  unto 
you;  Barabbas,  the  murderer,  or  this  Jesus?" 
They  cried  "  Barabbas  "  with  one  accord.  "  What 
then,"  he  asked,  "  shall  I  do  unto  Jesus  who  is  called 
Christ?"  "Crucify  him!  Crucify  him!  Away 
with  him !  "  Alas,  was  ever  man  in  such  a  quan- 
dary ?     What  should  he  do  ? 

He  will  compromise.  The  prisoner,  being  inno- 
cent, should  in  common  justice  be  released  offhand ; 
but,  says  Pilate,  "  I  will  chastise  him  and  let  him 
go."  The  proposition  is  an  illogical  makeshift,  and 
the  people  see  through  it,  "  Thou  art  not  Csesar's 
friend,"  they  say,  "  if  thou  let  him  go!  " 

The  travesty  of  justice  ends  with  a  suitable  epi- 
logue. Pilate,  seeing  that  he  prevails  nothing,  but 
that  the  tumult  rather  increases,  takes  water  and 
washes  his  hands  before  the  multitude,  saying,  "  I 
am  innocent  of  the  blood  of  this  righteous  man. 
See  ye  to  it," 

93 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

And  they  led  the  prisoner  forth  to  the  place  which 
is  called  Golgotha  to  crucify  him. 

The  story  of  Pilate  is  ancient  history.  Let  us 
bring  it  up  to  date.  The  unavoidable  question  is 
this :  **  What  shall  I  do  with  this  Jesus,  which  is 
called  the  Christ  ?  " 

No  man  can  ignore  the  question.  It  thrusts  itself 
upon  him.  Go  where  he  will,  into  the  home  circle, 
marketplace,  library.  Chamber  of  Commerce,  or 
Legislative  Hall,  the  name  of  Jesus  is  heard  above 
every  other  name;  and  the  eyes  of  Jesus,  like  those 
in  the  portrait  by  Era  Angelico,  follow  us  wherever 
we  go,  silently  demanding,  "  What  will  you  do  with 

We  may  reject  him;  we  may,  like  Pilate,  try  to 
temporize  with  the  question,  or  we  may  end  the  con- 
troversy by  accepting  him.  And  this  I  believe  to  be 
the  only  answer  that  any  thoughtful  man  can  hon- 
estly give  to  the  question :  What  shall  I  do  with 
this  Jesus  which  is  called  the  Christ?  One  of  Lin- 
coln's wise  sayings  was :  "  Nothing  is  settled  until 
it  is  settled  right."  The  man  who,  like  Pilate,  seeks 
to  evade  the  responsibility  of  the  situation  by  taking 
refuge  in  excuses  and  subterfuges,  will  find  himself 
perplexed  and  harassed  unceasingly  until  he  finally 
disposes  of  the  problem  by  either  rejecting  Christ  or 
frankly  and  unreservedly  accepting  hirn.j 


94 


"WAS  CRUCIFIED*' 

IT  is  not  possible  to  misunderstand  the  teaching 
of  Christ  with  reference  to  the  manner  of  his 
death.  His  position  was :  The  Scripture  must 
needs  be  fulfilled :  thus  it  is  written ;  and  thus  it 
must  be. 

The  phrase  "lifted  up"  was  in  common  use 
among  the  Jews  and  was  generally  understood  as  a 
reference  to  the  ignominious  death  of  the  cross. 

In  one  of  our  Lord's  most  notable  sermons,  ad- 
dressed to  the  Pharisees  with  respect  to  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah  (John  8:13-32)  he  said:  "When 
ye  have  lifted  up  the  Son  of  Man,  then  shall  ye  know 
that  I  am  he." 

It  was  clearly  affirmed  by  Christ  on  many  occa- 
sions; as  when  he  was  going  through  Csesarea-Phi- 
Hppi  —  on  that  last  journey,  of  which  it  is  reported 
that,  with  the  cold  shadow  of  the  Cross  over  him, 
he  "  set  his  face  steadfastly  to  go  " — when  he  said 
to  his  disciples  that  he  should  be  delivered  to  the 
chief  priests  and  condemned  and  scourged  and  cru- 
cified. (Matthew  20:17-28.)  In  other  words,  it 
was  predetermined  not  only  that  he  should  die  but 
that  he  should  die  in  this  particular  way. 

In  another  of  his  sermons,  addressed  to  the  people 
95 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

(John  12  :^-26),  he  said,  "  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from 
the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  myself,"  and  it  is 
added,  "  This  he  said  signifying  by  what  manner  of 
death  he  should  die." 

It  is  further  explained  in  Galatians  3:13,  "  Christ 
hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  having 
become  a  curse  for  us;  for  it  is  written,  Cursed  is 
every  one  that  hangeth  on  a  tree."  * 

It  was  thrown  into  the  boldest  relief  by  Jesus  in 
his  conversation  with  Nicodemus  (John  3:1-21), 
when  he  said,  "  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in 
the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son  of  Man  be 
lifted  up,  that  whosoever  believeth  may  in  him  have 
eternal  life."  This  incident  was  used  to  illustrate 
the  doctrine  of  salvation;  and  the  analogy  is  perfect, 
as  we  shall  now  see. 

In  this  doctrine  there  are  three  essential  facts. 

The  first  is  Sin.  Here  is  the  starting-point.  We 
shall  make  no  progress  toward  a  solution  of  the 
problem  until  we  get  a  right  idea  of  sin. 

Sin,  like  the  venom  of  the  serpent,  is  all-per- 
vasive. It  courses  through  the  blood  from  heart 
to  finger-tips.  It  corrupts  the  mind,  perverts  the 
conscience,  and  enfeebles  the  will ;  so  that  "  the 
whole  head  is  sick  and  the  whole  heart  faint.  From 
the  sole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the  head  there  is  no 
soundness  in  it;  but  wounds  and  bruises  and  fresh 
stripes."     (Isaiah  1 15.) 

*  Compare  with  Deuteronomy  21 :  22,  23. 

96 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Sin,  like  the  venom  of  the  serpent,  is  deadly. 
"The  soul  that  sinneth  it  shall  die."  And  to  the 
mind  of  a  right-thinking  man  there  can  be  no  death 
more  frightful  than  eternal  exile  from  God.  The 
world  has  been  groping  through  the  centuries  for 
some  remedy  for  sin.  The  question  is,  How  shall  a 
man  be  just  with  God?  In  all  the  mythologies  and 
philosophies  of  the  world  aside  from  the  Gospel 
there  is  no  hint  or  suggestion  of  any  method  of  jus- 
tifying a  sinner  in  the  sight  of  a  holy  God. 

The  second  of  the  essential  facts  in  the  doctrine  of 
salvation  is  Expiation.  This  is  set  forth  in  the  lift- 
ing up  of  the  serpent.  *'  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  ser- 
pent in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son  of  Man 
be  lifted  up."     The  resemblance  is  clear. 

To  begin  with,  the  brazen  effigy  on  the  pole  was 
really  no  serpent  at  all.  It  was  wholly  innocuous. 
There  was  no  venom  in  it.  So  it  is  written  of  Christ 
that  he  was  "  holy,  harmless  and  undefiled  "  among 
the  sinful  children  of  men.  There  was  no  fault  in 
him  at  all. 

But  the  brazen  effigy  was  like  a  serpent.  So  it  is 
written,  "  God  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness 
of  sinful  flesh  and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the 
flesh :  that  the  ordinance  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled 
in  us."  (Romans  8:3.)  And  still  more  emphat- 
ically, "  Him  who  knew  no  sin  he  made  to  be  sin  on 
our  behalf :  that  we  might  become  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  him." 

As  the  brazen  serpent  was  impaled,  "  even  so  must 
97 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

the  Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up."     He  was  lifted  up  by 
the  wayside,  where  every  passer-by  might  see. 

This  brings  us  to  the  third  of  the  essential  facts 
in  the  doctrine  of  salvation,  which  is  Jiustification 
by  Faith.—*'  Look,  and  live!  "  "  He  that  believeth 
on  the  Son  hath  eternal  life;  but  he  that  obeyeth  not 
the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abid- 
eth  on  him."     (John  3:36.) 

There  was  obviously  no  healing  virtue  in  the 
glance.  So  far  as  that  was  concerned  it  would  have 
answered  the  needs  of  the  people  just  as  well  to  look 
at  the  face  of  Moses  or  at  the  noonday  sun.  So 
faith  in  itself  is  a  valueless  thing.  There  is  no  es- 
sential grace  in  it. 

Yet  faith  is  set  forth  as  the  indispensable  condi- 
tion of  life.  The  only  reason  why  the  sufferers  in 
the  Jewish  camp  were  healed  by  looking  at  the 
brazen  serpent  was  because  God  had  declared  that  so 
it  should  be.  In  like  manner  faith  in  Christ  and  obe- 
dience to  him  is  made  the  condition  of  the  forgive- 
ness of  sin. 

i  No  one  will  question  the  fact  that  the  God  who 
wrought  the  miracle  of  healing  in  the  wilderness 
had  an  indisputable  right  to  make  his  own  terms  con- 
cerning it.  It  is  equally  clear  that  the  God  who  be- 
stows the  gift  of  salvation  has  the  right  to  affix  a 
condition  to  it.  This  he  has  been  pleased  to  do. 
His  grace  is  free,  free  as  air  or  water;  but  the  air 
must  be  breathed,  and  a  man  will  perish  of  thirst  if 
he  does  not  dip  up  the  water  and  drink  it.     In  like 

98 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

manner  the  great  salvation  is  offered  to  all  on  the 
sole  and  simple  condition  that  they  by  faith  receive 


It. 


No  doubt  there  were  many  in  Israel  who,  refus- 
ing to  look  at  the  brazen  serpent,  perished  and  were 
buried  in  the  desert  sand.  Some  put  their  depend- 
ence on  such  human  help  as  was  at  their  command; 
and  they  died.  Some  could  not  understand  how 
there  was  healing  power  in  a  brazen  serpent  on  a 
pole ;  and,  refusing  to  look,  they  died.  Others,  feel- 
ing no  pain,  declined  to  believe  that  they  were  m 
serious  danger,  and,  refusing  to  look,  they  also  died. 
But  there  were  multitudes  who,  hearing  the  mvita- 
tion,  obeyed  and  lived ! 

"  Look,  look,  look  and  live ! 
There  is  life  for  a  look  at  the  crucified  One; 
There  is  life  at  this  moment  for  thee." 

fin  one  of  Mr.  Moody's  after-meetings  a  man  said 
to  him,  "  I  am  in  trouble  about  my  soul;  what  shall 
I  do  ?  "'  Mr.  Moody  read  him  the  story  of  the  Cru- 
cifixion; but  before  he  had  finished  the  man  cried, 
"  I  am  a  Jew !  I  do  not  believe  in  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth. He  was  not  the  Messiah;  and  I  will  not  so 
receive  him."  Mr.  Moody  said,  "  Very  well ;  let  me 
read  you  something  else."  He  turned  to  the  story 
of  Moses  and  the  brazen  serpent.  The  man  said,  "  I 
believe  that ;  but  I  don't  see  how  it  affects  my  case." 
Then  Mr.  Moody  read  the  story  of  this  interview  of 

99 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Christ  with  Nicodemus ;  and  when  he  concluded,  the 
inquirer  said,  with  the  light  of  salvation  in  his  eyes, 
"  I  see  it!  This  is  the  Christ  of  God!  He  did  so 
love  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son  to 
redeem  it ! " 


lOO 


"DEAD" 

CHRIST  is  dead !  See  him  yonder  upon  the 
cross,  face  pale,  limbs  convulsed,  pulse  si- 
lenced. No  need  of  a  death  certificate 
here. 

"  Is  he  quite  dead?"  asks  the  Centurion  of  his 
guard.  "  Aye,  this  is  the  spear  which  I  thrust  into 
his  side  a  moment  ago ;  when  it  was  withdrawn,  it 
gave  token  that  his  heart  had  ceased  to  beat." 

Jews,  priests  and  rabbis  pass  by,  saying,  "  The 
Man  of  Nazareth  is  dead ;  we  shall  hear  no  further 
of  his  doctrines  and  wonderful  works.  He  will 
trouble  us  no  more." 

The  disciples  as  they  reverently  take  his  body 
from  the  cross  perceive  that  the  life-current  has 
ceased  to  flow.  "  We  hoped,"  they  mournfully  say, 
"  that  it  was  he  who  should  deliver  Israel ;  but,  alas ! 
he  is  dead." 

Dead?  Then  why  this  commotion  to-day? 
Why  this  controversy  among  all  nations  and  the 
children  of  men?  Is  it  possible  that  the  world  is  so 
moved  and  troubled  about  a  dead  man,  one  who  died 
and  was  buried  nineteen  centuries  ago? 

What  does  it  mean?  There  are  some  hundreds 
of  millions  of  people  who  gather  at  intervals  about 

lOI 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

a  table  where  a  frugal  feast  is  spread.  They  break 
the  bread  and  say,  "  Lo,  thus  his  flesh  was  bruised." 
They  pour  the  wine  and  say,  "  Lo,  thus  his  blood 
was  shed."  And  then,  lifting  their  hearts  and 
voices,  they  speak  with  him  as  a  living  Christ,  laying 
all  their  plans  and  purposes  and  hopes  before  him! 

And  what  means  this  ever-increasing  multitude 
of  men  and  women  who  declare  that  he,  with  a 
mighty  hand,  has  lifted  them  out  of  the  miry  clay 
and  set  their  feet  upon  an  everlasting  rock? 

He  once  said  to  a  paralytic  in  Capernaum,  "  Son, 
thy  sins  are  forgiven  " ;  and  he  has  been  loosing 
paralytics  from  their  infirmity  and  forgiving  their 
sins  from  then  until  now. 

'  He  once  said  to  a  sinful  woman  who  anointed  his 
feet  with  oil  of  spikenard,  "  Thy  sins  be  forgiven 
thee,  ...  go  in  peace  " ;  and  through  all  the  cen- 
turies he  has  been  saving  Magdalens  and  restoring 
them  to  self-respect  and  to  divine  peace.  \ 

■  He  once  said  to  a  dying  thief  on  Golgotha,  "  To- 
day shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise  " ;  and  there 
are  multitudes  of  malefactors  as  guilty  as  poor 
Dysmas  who  are  prepared  to  testify  that  just  now 
he  met  them  with  the  same  message  of  pardoning 
grace. 

And  how  is  it  that  the  name  of  Jesus  is  to-day  the 
most  potent  name  in  war  and  diplomacy?  His  fig- 
ure towers  aloft  in  the  affairs  of  nations  like  the 
Brocken  of  the  Alps.  What  has  become  of  other 
magnates  who  ruled  the  earth  in  centuries  gone  by? 

102 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

*'  Imperial  Caesar,  dead  and  turned  to  clay. 
May  stop  a  hole  to  keep  the  wind  away." 

But  to-day  Christ  is  the  most  influential  arbiter  in 
mundane  affairs.  It  may  be  that  Macaulay's  vision 
will  come  true ;  that  at  some  future  time  a  New  Zea- 
lander  will  stand  upon  a  broken  arch  of  London 
Bridge  to  sketch  the  ruins  of  St.  Paul's.  If  so, 
however,  it  will  be  because  that  New  Zealander  will 
himself  be  the  last  consummate  fruit  of  Christian 
culture;  a  man  of  higher  attainments  in  moral 
power  than  those  who  reared  the  fabric  of  St.  Paul's. 
For  Christ  is  a  living  and  omnipotent  force,  moving 
the  world  through  each  succeeding  sun  into  a  clearer 
light,  and  this  will  continue  until,  in  the  restitution 
of  all  things,  every  knee  shall  bow  before  him  and 
every  tongue  confess,  in  the  full  glory  of  his  millen- 
nial reign,  that  he  alone  is  King  over  all. 


103 


"AND  BURIED*^ 

I  SAW,  as  in  a  dream,  a  great  multitude  of  peo- 
ple who  seemed  to  be  traveling  in  caravans 
through  an  open  country ;  and  their  faces  were 
all  turned  one  way.  There  were  all  sorts  and  condi- 
tions of  people:  Jew  and  Greek,  barbarian,  Scyth- 
ian, bond  and  free,  kings  and  yeomen,  queens  and 
courtesans,  beggars  and  millionaires,  idlers  and 
handicraftsmen,  captains  returning  from  conquest 
with  long  processions  of  slaves  dragged  at  their 
chariot  wheels,  philosophers  and  simple  folk;  but 
they  journeyed  together  and  their  faces  were  turned 
one  way.  They  traveled  by  many  roads,  broad  and 
narrow,  crooked  and  straight,  by-paths  and  royal 
highways ;  but  the  roads  all  tended  in  one  direction, 
converging  at  a  great  gate  which  towered  aloft  in 
the  distance  and  cast  its  shadow  over  the  whole 
land. 

On  this  side  of  the  gate  was  a  river ;  and  the  river 
was  dark  and  mysterious,  because  the  gate  cast  a 
shadow  over  it.  On  this  side  of  the  river  lay  a  deep 
valley:  and  the  shadow  of  the  gate  fell  over  that 
also,  insomuch  that  it  was  called  "  The  Valley  of 
the  Shadow."  And  the  gloom  of  that  valley  was 
so  deep  that  none  could  see  beforehand  what  of  pain 

104 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

or   comfort   awaited    him    in   passing   through    it. 

I  saw  that  the  travelers  were  afraid  of  the  valley 
and  of  the  river  and  of  the  gate;  wherefore  many 
of  them  averted  their  eyes  and  refused  to  look  that 
way. 

And  I  heard  a  voice  like  the  low  roll  of  thunder, 
saying,  "  Earth  to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes,  dust  to 
dust!" 

It  was  the  voice  of  the  King  of  Terrors;  and  I 
knew  then  that  the  gate  was  the  Gateway  of  the 
Tomb.  For  so  it  is  written,  "  It  is  appointed  unto 
all  men  once  to  die." 

I  saw  a  little  child  approach  the  gate;  and  it 
played  and  laughed  up  to  the  very  threshold  and 
then  passed  in.  I  saw  an  old  man,  so  old  that  he 
was  bent  quite  double  with  the  burden  of  his  years, 
who  lifted  his  dim  eyes  and,  seeing  the  gate,  trem- 
bled but  must  needs  pass  in;  and  his  record  runs 
on  this  wise:  "  The  days  of  the  years  of  Methuse- 
lah were  nine  hundred  and  sixty  and  nine  years  — 
and  he  died."  I  saw  the  proudest  of  earthly  queens 
approach  the  gate  and,  realizing  on  a  sudden  that 
her  end  had  come,  she  cried,  "  My  kingdom  for  a 
moment  of  time!"  but  none  answered  her;  and, 
without  an  instant's  pause  she,  too,  passed  in. 

Beside  the  gate  on  either  hand  were  scattered 
heaps  of  refuse;  odds  and  ends  of  everything  that 
men  count  dear :  goods  and  chattels,  gold  and  silver, 
bonds  and  mortgages,  crowns  and  laurel  wreaths, 
bodkins  and  spindles,  arms  and  armor,  workmen's 

105 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

tools,  clothing  of  every  sort,  purple  and  fine  linen 
and  homespun,  masks  and  buskins;  the  things  for 
which  men  live  and  labor  with  tears  and  blood ;  all 
now  laid  by !  For  so  it  is  ordained ;  naked  came  we 
and  naked  must  we  go.  We  brought  nothing  into 
this  world,  and  it  is  certain  we  can  carry  nothing 
out. 

A  workman  drew  near  to  the  gate  and,  as  if  real- 
izing that  his  work  was  over,  laid  down  his  tools 
and  passed  in. 

A  rich  man,  so  absorbed  in  gain  that  his  very  soul 
had  turned  yellow  with  the  jaundice  of  gold,  mur- 
muring to  himself,  "  Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods 
laid  up  for  many  years;  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink 
and  be  merry,"  suddenly  lifted  his  eyes  and,  seeing 
the  gate,  turned  ashen  pale,  disgorged  his  wealth 
and  passed  in.  And  the  air  seemed  vibrant  with 
these  words,  "  Thou  fool,  whose  now  shall  these 
things  be?" 

A  king  approached  and,  casting  his  crown  and 
purple  aside,  lifted  both  his  hands,  palms  upward 
and  quite  empty,  and  disappeared  from  view.  This 
was  he  who  boasted  that  he  had  conquered  the 
world ;  and,  behold,  he  left  it  all. 

An  old  man  drew  near  and,  laying  aside  his  gar- 
ments, sang  a  hymn,  which  I  remembered  having 
heard  him  singing  to  himself  at  eventide : 

"  The  day  is  past  and  gone, 
The  evening  shades  appear ; 

io6 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Oh,  may  we  all  remember  well 
The  night  of  death  draws  near. 

We  lay  our  garments  by 
Upon  our  beds  to  rest ; 

So  Death  will  soon  disrobe  us  all 
Of  what  we  here  possessed,"  / 

Thus  one  by  one,  alone  and  empty-handed,  they 
passed  in. 

Then  I  heard  another  voice,  louder  than  that  of 
the  King  of  Terrors  and  sweeter  than  the  music  of 
a  harp,  saying,  "Be  of  good  courage;  this  is  the 
Gateway  of  Life!" 

I  turned  to  see.  He  was  standing  by  an  open 
sepulcher,  and  near  the  sepulcher  was  a  Cross ;  and 
a  strange  light,  which  seemed  to  issue  from  the 
sepulcher,  fell  upon  the  Cross,  and  then  upon  the 
gate.  And  I  knew  that  this  was  the  sepulcher  of 
Him  by  whom  life  and  immortality  were  brought 
to  light. 

He  knew  whereof  he  spake,  for  he  had  himself 
passed  through  the  gate.  It  was  written  of  him, 
"  Since  then  the  children  are  sharers  in  flesh  and 
blood,  he  also  himself  in  like  manner  partook  of  the 
same ;  that  through  death  he  might  bring  to  naught 
him  that  had  the  power  of  death."  In  order  that 
Christ  might  become  the  firstborn  of  many  brethren, 
he  was  bom  of  a  woman.  In  his  infancy  he  was 
wrapped  in  swaddling-bands.  In  manhood  he  wore 
homespun  and  toiled  in  a  workshop.  In  his  minis- 
try he  traversed  the  weary  thoroughfares  of  Pales- 

107 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

tine,  wearing  the  dusty  garments  of  a  wayfarer. 
In  his  death  he  was  clad  in  cerecloths  and  carried 
to  a  tomb.  All  this  he  did  as  our  Elder  Brother  and 
representative;  that,  living  and  dying,  he  might  be 
one  with  us.  He  lay  in  the  sepulcher  as  one  who 
slept,  and,  rising,  blessed  the  bed. 

As  he  passed  through  the  great  gate  he,  turning, 
said,  "  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life ;  he  that  be- 
lieveth  on  me,  though  he  die,  yet  shall  he  live ;  and 
whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  on  me  shall  never 
die!" 

V  Wherefore  the  sepulcher  is  the  Gateway  of  Life 
for  us. 

"  No  more  a  charnel-house,  to  fence 
The  relics  of  lost  innocence, 
A  vault  of  ruin  and  decay : 
The  imprisoning  stone  is  rolled  away : 
'Tis  now  a  place  where  angels  use 
To  come  and  go  with  heavenly  news. 
And  in  the  ears  of  mourners  say, 
*  Come,  see  the  place  where  Jesus  lay  ' !  "| 

The  light  that  issued  from  the  open  sepulcher  fell 
also  upon  the  faces  of  many  of  the  travelers,  so  that 
they  feared  no  more.  They,  too,  must  needs  bid 
their  friends  farewell,  but  not  as  if  they  were  part- 
ing forever.  It  was  only  "  until  we  meet  again." 
As  they  passed  through  the  valley  they  sang,  "  I  will 
fear  no  evil ;  for  thou  art  with  me ;  thy  rod  and  thy 
staff,  they  comfort  me."     As  they  forded  the  river 

io8 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

they  sang,  "  I  will  not  fear,  for  thou  hast  redeemed 
me.  Though  I  pass  through  the  waters,  they  shall 
not  overflow  me ;  for  thou  art  the  God  of  my  salva- 
tion." And  as  they  entered  the  sepulcher  the  light 
fell  so  wondrously  upon  their  faces  that  fear  van- 
ished, being  supplanted  by  the  radiance  of  an  endless 
hope.     Thus  they  passed  in. 

One  of  these  closed  his  eyes,  as  Stephen  did,  when 
"  falling  on  sleep,"  and  when  he  opened  them  it 
was  with  a  look  of  glad  surprise,  as  if  he  suddenly 
realized  the  truth  of  that  intimation,  "  Eye  hath  not 
seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the 
heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared 
for  them  that  love  him." 

Another,  weary  with  the  long  struggle  of  life  and 
conscious  of  having  done  his  best,  said,  like  Paul, 
as  he  entered  the  gate,  "  I  have  fought  the  good 
fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the 
faith ;  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  the  crown 
of  righteousness  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous 
Judge,  shall  give  to  me  at  that  day." 

And  still  another,  looking  through  the  gate,  saw 
something  which  seemed  to  transfigure  him ;  so  that, 
reaching  up  his  hands,  he  cried, 

**  The  world  recedes ;  it  disappears ; 
Heaven  opens  on  my  eyes ;  mine  ears 
With  sounds  seraphic  ring !     Lend,  lend  your  wings ! 
I  mount,  I  fly !     O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ? 
O  Death,  where  is  thy  sting?  " 
109 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

I  saw  now  that  the  light  from  the  open  sepulcher 
fell  still  beyond.  On  the  left  was  a  region  of  dark- 
ness, with  shadows  flitting  through  it;  and  on  the 
right  "  a  better  country,  that  is,  a  heavenly."  As 
far  as  one  could  see  were  fields  "  all  dressed  in 
living  green."  The  people  there  were  clothed  in 
white,  the  livery  of  the  King's  servants.  As  they 
served  they  sang,  "  Worthy  is  he  who  hath  re- 
deemed us  out  of  every  nation  and  kindred  and  peo- 
ple and  tribe  and  made  us  to  be  kings  and  priests 
unto  God!" 

In  the  far  distance  was  a  throne,  and  He  that  sat 
upon  it  was  arrayed  in  garments  white  and  glister- 
ing. His  face  shone  with  a  light  that,  mingling 
with  the  light  of  the  open  sepulcher,  fell  over  all 
the  country ;  as  it  is  written,  "  And  the  city  hath  no 
need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon,  to  shine  upon 
it:  for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  lamp 
thereof  is  the  Lamb.  And  the  nations  shall  walk 
amidst  the  light  thereof;  .  .  .  and  they  shall  bring 
the  glory  and  the  honor  of  the  nations  into  it." 

I  observed  that  when  the  travelers,  with  the  light 
reflected  on  their  faces,  entered  the  gate  and  turned 
toward  the  right  to  enter  the  Better  Country,  they 
all  gave  the  countersign,  "  In  His  Name."  It  was 
the  name  which  is  above  every  other  that  is  named 
in  heaven  or  on  earth ;  the  name  of  Jesus,  the  Prince 
of  Life,  who  had  said,  "  No  man  cometh  unto  the 
Father  but  by  me."     And  when  they  gave  that 

no 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

countersign  he  said,  "Enter  thou  into  the  joy  of 
thy  Lord." 

Then  straightway  they  began  to  sing  with  a  loud 
voice,  saying,  **  Unto  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb,  be  the  blessing,  and  the  honor, 
and  the  glory,  and  the  dominion,  forever  and  ever !  " 

And  in  the  distance  beyond  the  gate  I  saw  their 
welcome.  Never  were  strangers  returning  from  a 
long  absence  so  joyously  received.  Friends  gath- 
ered from  near  and  far.  Oh,  blessed  home-bring- 
ing! Wives  who  had  been  separated  from  their 
husbands  greeted  them  with  joy  unspeakable. 
Mothers  clasped  in  their  arms  the  children  who  had 
slipped  away  from  them  years  before.  They  all 
said  "  Good  morning !  "  In  that  better  country 
they  never  say  "  Good  night,"  because  there  is  no 
night  and  there  are  no  partings  there. 

All  their  sorrows  were  over.  They  had  passed 
through  the  Lord's  Gateway  of  Life  into  endless 
day. 


Ill 


**HE  DESCENDED  INTO  HELL" 

THE  word  "  hell "  has  a  repugnant  sound, 
and  rightly  so.  It  should  be  uttered  with 
bated  breath.  And  the  reason  is  because  it 
designates  the  penalty  of  sin. 

Sin  is  the  most  abhorrent  thing  in  the  universe. 
It  ruins  character,  desolates  homes,  overthrows  gov- 
ernments, and  pollutes  the  very  air  we  breathe.  It 
corrupts  the  body,  enfeebles  the  mind,  and  —  unless 
its  ravages  can  be  arrested  in  some  way  —  must  ul- 
timately separate  the  immortal  soul  from  God. 

Its  penalty,  as  a  matter  of  course,  measures  up 
to  it.  The  law  says,  "  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall 
die!"  As  life  is  to  know  God,  so  death  is  to  be 
exiled  from  him. 

Can  sin  be  removed?  Never!  Lady  Macbeth 
was  right,  "  What's  done  cannot  be  undone."  A  sin- 
ner once  is  a  sinner  forever,  notwithstanding  the 
grace  of  God. 

Can  guilt  be  removed?  Never!  The  wound 
may  heal,  but  the  scar  remains,  God  may  forget, 
but  we  must  remember.  His  lovingkindness  is  mag- 
nified by  the  fact  that  we  shall  gratefully  look  on  the 
pit  from  which  he  has  delivered  us. 

•  Can  the  penalty  be  remitted?     It  can!     Thanks 

112 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

to  the  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness  of  the  Father 
who  spared  not  his  only-begotten  and  well-beloved 
Son  but  sent  him  to  endure  vicarious  death  for  us ! 

He  paid  our  penalty.  In  Gethsemane  he  drank 
the  bitter  cup  that  should  have  been  pressed  to  our 
lips.  On  the  Cross  he  descended  into  the  hell  that 
justly  awaited  us.^ 

The  two  darkest,  bitterest  experiences  in  the  his- 
tory of  a  human  soul  are  conviction  and  retribution ; 
and  both  of  these,  in  a  very  real  sense,  were  endured 
by  him  who  became  our  substitute  before  the  of- 
fended law. 

Was  Christ  a  sinner  then?     No,  and  yes. 

Of  all  who  ever  lived  on  earth  he  was  the  only 
guiltless  one.  There  was  no  guile  in  his  heart,  no 
guile  on  his  lips. 

But  he  became  our  substitute  before  the  bar  of  the 
offended  law.  In  doing  so  he  must  needs  change 
places  with  us.  If  he  would  suffer  for  our  sins,  he 
must  feel  them  as  his  very  own.  Thus  it  is  writ- 
ten, "  Him  who  knew  no  sin  he  made  to  be  sin  on 
our  behalf,  that  we  might  become  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  him." 

ffhe  pain  of  the  publican  who  beat  upon  his 
breast,  crying,  "  God  be  merciful!  "  the  pain  of  the 
prodigal  son  as  he  sat  in  the  swine-field,  realizing 
in  rags  and  poverty  his  unspeakable  loss ;  the  pain  of 
Bunyan  who,  as  he  walked  through  the  forest  with 
a  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment,  envied, 
as  he  says,  the  very  owls  and  toads ;  the  pain  of  all 

113 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

who  have  ever  felt  themselves  to  have  passed  justly 
imder  the  wrath  of  a  holy  and  offended  God  —  all 
this  was  in  the  cup  which,  in  behalf  of  a  ruined  race, 
was  pressed  to  Jesus'  lips.*. 

It  must  have  been  to  his  own  consciousness  as  if 
he,  the  absolutely  sinless  one,  had  committed  all  the 
thefts  and  murders  and  adulteries  and  unspeakable 
blasphemies  that  had  even  been  laid  to  his  people's 
charge.  Oh,  what  a  world  of  anguish  was  laid 
upon  the  heart  of  this  Atlas,  who  thus  identified 
himself  with  us! 

He  not  only  entered  into  the  consciousness  of  our 
sin,  but  assumed  its  full  penalty;  as  it  is  written, 
"  Christ  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  hav- 
ing become  a  curse  for  us."  In  view  of  this  fact 
there  is  an  awful  significance  in  the  statement  of 
the  historic  creed  that  he  "  descended  into  hell." 
The  worni  of  remorse  that  gnaws  and  never  dies, 
the  fire  of  despair  that  burns  and  is  never  quenched, 
the  outer  darkness  of  divine  abandonment  —  he 
knew  them  all.  T-ittle  wonder  that  his  frame  shook 
and  trembled  or  that  the  sweat  of  agony  stood  like 
blood-drops  on  his  brow,  when  this  cup  was  pressed 
to  his  lips. 

"  O  Christ,  what  burdens  bowed  thy  head ! 
Our  load  was  laid  on  thee. 
Thou  stoodest  in  the  sinner's  stead ; 

Didst  bear  all  ill  for  me. 
A  victim  led,  thy  blood  was  shed ; 
Now  there's  no  load  for  me ! 
114 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

"  Jehovah  lifted  up  his  rod ; 

O  Christ,  it  fell  on  thee ! 
Thou  wast  sore  stricken  of  thy  God ; 

There's  not  one  stroke  for  me. 
Thy  tears,  thy  blood,  beneath  it  flowed ; 

Thy  bruising  healeth  me. 

"  The  tempest's  awful  voice  was  heard ; 

O  Christ,  it  broke  on  thee ! 
Thy  open  bosom  was  my  ward ; 

It  braved  the  storm  for  me. 
Thy  form  was  scarred,  thy  visage  marred ; 

Now  cloudless  peace  for  me !  "  * 

*In  the  Liturgy  of  the  Reformed  Church  this  doctrine  is 
set  forth  in  the  Office  for  the  Administration  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  in  these  words :  "  He  assumed  our  flesh  and  blood : 
he  bore  for  us  the  wrath  of  God,  under  which  we  should  have 
perished  everlastingly,  from  the  beginning  of  his  incarnation 
to  the  end  of  his  life  upon  earth.  He  fulfilled  for  us  all  obedi- 
ence to  the  divine  law  and  righteousness,  especially  when  the 
weight  of  our  sins  and  the  wrath  of  God  pressed  out  of  him 
the  bloody  sweat  in  the  garden,  where  he  was  bound  that  we 
might  be  freed  from  our  sins.  He  afterward  suffered  in- 
numerable reproaches,  that  we  might  never  be  confounded. 
He,  ahhough  innocent,  was  condemned  to  death,  that  we  might 
be  acquitted  at  the  judgment  seat  of  God.  Yea,  he  suffered 
his  blessed  body  to  be  nailed  on  the  cross,  that  he  might  affix 
thereon  the  handwriting  of  our  sins.  He  also  took  upon 
himself  the  curse  due  to  us,  that  he  might  fill  us  with  his 
blessings.  He  humbled  himself  unto  the  deepest  reproach 
and  pains  of  hell,  both  in  body  and  soul,  on  the  tree  of  the 
cross,  when  he  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  '  My  God,  my 
God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?'  that  we  might  be  ac- 
cepted of  God,  and  never  be  forsaken  of  him.  And  finally 
he  confirmed,  with  his  death  and  shedding  of  his  blood,  the 
new  and  eternal  testament,  that  covenant  of  grace  and  recon- 
ciliation, when  he  said,  '  It  is  finished ! ' " 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

At  the  beginning  of  our  Civil  War  in  the  httle 
town  of  Yadkin  there  was  a  coHision  of  the  skirmish 
lines.  The  negroes,  hiding  in  the  swamps  behind 
the  fences,  saw  here  and  there  puffs  of  smoke  and 
knew  that  this  was  a  part  of  the  mighty  conflict 
in  which  were  involved  their  hopes  of  manhood  and 
freedom.  The  next  morning  an  old  colored 
preacher,  coming  out  of  hiding,  saw  lying  in  the 
road  a  dead  man,  his  hands  clutching  the  earth,  his 
blue  coat  stained  with  his  life-blood.  He  went  back 
and  brought  with  him  a  little  company  of  refugees, 
and  they  scraped  out  a  shallow  grave  beside  the  road 
and  buried  this  man  who  had  suffered  and  died  in 
their  behalf.  To-day  a  church  stands  over  that 
mound,  and  the  negroes  assemble  there  to  render 
praises  to  God. 

But  what  shall  be  said  of  Him  who  by  his  death 
on  Calvary  has  delivered  us  from  eternal  shame  and 
sorrow  ?  "  What  shall  I  render  unto  Jehovah  for 
all  his  benefits?  I  will  take  the  cup  of  salvation, 
and  call  upon  the  name  of  Jehovah.  I  will  pay  my 
vows  unto  him !  " 


ii6 


Section  V 
The  third  day  he  rose  again  from  the  dead.' 


Let  us  rise  in  early  morning, 
And,  instead  of  ointments,  bring 
Hymns  of  praises  to  our  Master, 
And  his  resurrection  sing: 
We  shall  see  the  Sun  of  Justice 
Risen  with  healing  on  his  wing. 

—  John  of  Damascus. 


"THE  THIRD  DAY  HE  ROSE  AGAIN 
FROM  THE  DEAD" 

WHO  was  Jesus?  A  man  of  the  people, 
who  had  received  his  education  for  the 
most  part  in  a  carpenter  shop ;  yet  he  put 
himself  forward  as  an  infalHble  teacher.  He 
touched  the  great  problems  of  eternity  with  a  fear- 
less hand  and  "  taught  as  one  having  authority." 
The  common  people  followed  him  in  multitudes  and 
heard  him  gladly.  The  scribes  and  Pharisees  — 
the  accredited  theologians  and  religious  leaders  of 
the  time  —  looked  on  with  amazement  and  undis- 
guised envy.  They  demanded  of  him,  "  Whence  is 
thine  authority  ?  "  He  answered,  "  From  heaven." 
And  they  said,  "  Then  give  us  a  sign  from  heaven  to 
verify  it." 

He  had  wrought  many  miracles  among  them. 
I  do  not  say  he  claimed  to  work  miracles;  because 
at  that  time  his  miracles  were  undisputed.  There 
were  present  in  the  popular  gatherings  those  whose 
eyes  had  been  opened,  whose  leprous  scales  had  been 
wiped  off,  whose  palsied  limbs  had  been  restored  by 
him.  In  the  presence  of  such  witnesses  there  was 
no  room  for  doubt  or  peradventure. 

The  only  question  was.  Whence  did  He  derive 
this  power?     Was  it  from  above  or  from  beneath? 

119 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

The  scribes  and  Pharisees  intimated  that  it  was 
from  Satan.  "  No,"  said  Jesus,  "  it  is  divine  power. 
I  can  do  nothing  except  the  Father  be  with  me.  I 
and  my  Father  are  one."  Then  demanded  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  "  Let  us  see  your  credentials. 
If  this  power  be  from  heaven,  show  us  a  sign  from 
heaven  to  attest  it." 

One  sign,  and  one  only,  he  consented  to  give, 
namely,  "  the  sign  of  the  prophet  Jonah  " ;  that  is, 
three  days  in  the  darkness  of  the  grave  and  then  life 
and  immortality  brought  to  light. 

It  is  the  fashion  in  these  days  to  make  light  of 
the  story  of  Jonah.  In  some  quarters  —  in  some 
pulpits,  even  —  it  is  referred  to  as  "  a  fable."  Evi- 
dently, however,  Jesus  did  not  so  regard  it.  He 
made  its  truth  the  guarantee  of  his  own  triumph 
over  death.  Had  he  regarded  it  as  mere  folklore 
he  could  not  have  made  such  use  of  it. 

We  do  not  employ  fables  as  guarantees  of  fact. 
Try  it  in  a  court  of  justice.  "  As  surely  as  Jason 
sought  and  found  the  Golden  Fleece,  so  surely  will 
I  tell  the  truth."  That  would  scarcely  answer.  You 
must  certify  by  an  indubitable  fact  like  this :  "  As 
surely  as  there  is  a  God  in  heaven  I  will  tell  the 
truth." 

Or  try  it  in  a  common  matter  like  the  Contract  for 
a  debt;  make  out  a  promissory  note  on  this  wise: 
"  By  the  sign  of  Jack  and  the  Beanstalk  I  promise 
to  pay  when  this  obligation  falls  due."  Does  that 
seem  grotesque?     It  is  not  a  whit  more  so  than  to 

I20 


Y' 

THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

allege  that  Jesus  referred  to  a  "  fable  "  when  called 
upon  to  produce  a  sign  in  verification  of  his  claim 
as  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God. 

Time  was  when  the  earth  trembled  at  the  name  of 
Charlemagne,  who  extended  the  Frankish  rule  over 
the  greater  part  of  Europe  and  assumed  the  crown 
of  the  Roman  Empire.  He  died  A.  D.  814  and  was 
laid  to  rest  at  Aix  la  Chapelle,  in  a  mausoleum  con- 
structed after  the  model  of  the  holy  sepulcher  at 
Jerusalem.  By  his  own  direction  he  was  seated 
upon  a  throne,  in  grim  derision  of  the  King  of  Ter- 
rors, with  the  imperial  crown  upon  his  head  and  his 
purple  mantle  over  his  shoulders,  a  jeweled  scepter 
in  his  hands,  and  across  his  knees  the  sword  with 
which  he  had  endeavored  to  conquer  the  world. 
Four  centuries  later  his  tomb  was  opened  by  the 
Emperor  Otho ;  and  there  sat  Charlemagne,  a  rat- 
tling skeleton!  The  crown  and  scepter  had  fallen; 
the  purple  robe  was  odorous  of  decay ;  but  the  rusted 
sword  still  lay  across  his  knees.  So  passes  the  glory 
of  this  world  I J  What  then  of  the  marvelous  claims 
of  Jesus  if  he  remained  a  dead  man? 

His  sepulcher  was  sealed  with  the  great  seal  of 
the  Roman  Empire,  which  meant  that  the  world 
was  against  him.  "  The  kings  of  the  earth  set 
themselves,  and  the  rulers  take  counsel  together 
against  Jehovah  and  against  his  Anointed,  saying, 
*  Let  us  break  their  bands  asunder  and  cast  away 
their  cords  from  us ! '  He  that  sitteth  in  the  heav- 
ens will  laugh !  " 

121 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

The  clock  strikes.  The  guards  around  the  sep- 
ulcher  are  f  aUing  as  dead  men !  The  stone  is  rolled 
away,  and  Christ  comes  forth.  The  sign  is  verified ! 
The  imperial  seal  is  broken:  the  world  powers  are 
set  at  naught :  and  the  twofold  assurance  of  authen- 
ticity and  authority  is  placed  forevermore  upon  his 
work  as  our  Saviour. 

Who  is  the  mightiest  of  earth's  mighties?  The 
King  of  Terrors!  Is  there  any  to  dispute  his 
power?  Can  the  power  of  wealth  equal  it?  Croe- 
sus returns  to  dust.  The  power  of  glory?  Nay, 
"the  paths  of  glory  lead  but  to  the  grave."  The 
power  of  annies  and  navies?  The  shores  of 
all  the  oceans  are  littered  with  wrecked  fleets  and 
all  its  hillsides  strewn  with  the  dust  of  panoplied 
hosts.  Who  then  shall  dispute  with  Death?  On 
his  pale  horse  with  scythe  in  hand  he  has  the  right 
of  way.  At  the  door  of  the  cemetery  he  laughs, 
"  I  gather  them  in !  I  gather  them  in !  "  The  last 
words  of  Cardinal  Beaufort  are :  "  Fie,  fie !  Why 
should  death  have  me?  Are  my  treasuries  empty? 
Go,  bribe  him !  "  Fold  the  great  Cardinal's  hands, 
carry  him  out;  Death  has  conquered.  Death  al- 
ways conquers ! 

Always?  Nay,  not  in  Joseph's  garden.  Here 
Christ  meets  the  King  of  Terrors  and  vanquishes 
him.  In  the  darkness  of  this  sepulcher  the  bands 
and  napkin,  stronger  than  adamant,  are  as  green 
withes  in  the  grip  of  this  divine  Samson  who  comes 
forth  wiping  the  death-dew  from  his  face  and  say- 

122 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

ing,  "  O  death,  where  is  thy  victory  ?  O  death, 
where  is  thy  sting?  " 

And  into  the  fellowship  of  this  triumph  he  in- 
vites his  people,  walking  with  them  as  they  follow 
the  bier  and  standing  beside  them  at  the  graves  of 
their  beloved,  saying,  "  I  am  the  resurrection  and 
the  life;  he  that  believeth  on  me,  though  he  die,  yet 
shall  he  live;  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth 
on  me  shall  never  die," 

To-day  the  name  of  Christ  is  above  every  name 
that  is  named  in  heaven  or  on  earth.  The  most 
potent  figure  in  current  events  is  not  Czar,  nor  Sul- 
tan, nor  King  nor  Kaiser,  but  the  same  that  Isaiah 
saw  seven  hundred  years  before  the  Advent: 
"  Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom,  .  .  .  this 
that  is  glorious  in  his  apparel,  marching  in  the 
greatness  of  his  strength?  I  that  speak  in  right- 
eousness, mighty  to  save!  Wherefore  art  thou  red 
in  thine  apparel,  and  thy  garments  like  him  that 
treadeth  in  the  winevat?  I  have  trodden  the  wine- 
press alone;  and  of  the  peoples  there  was  no  man 
with  me ! " 

The  campaign  of  the  Kingdom  is  on.  It  began 
at  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration,  where  Jesus  met 
his  disciples  for  the  last  time,  saying,  "All  author- 
ity hath  been  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth. 
Go  ye,  therefore,  and  evangelize."  In  pursuance 
of  that  commission  the  royal  standards  onward  go. 
On  those  standards  is  the  red  symbol  of  the  Cross, 
and  over  it  the  superscription,  "  I  am  .  .  .  the  Liv- 

123 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

ing  One;  and  I  was  dead,  and,  behold,  I  am  alive 
for  evermore,  and  I  have  the  keys  of  death  and  of 
hell !  "  His  work  is  not  in  vain.  The  hands  of 
the  King's  dial  move  not  backward.  The  consum- 
mation of  the  great  enterprise  will  be  the  establish- 
ment of  his  kingdom,  when  every  knee  shall  bow 
before  him. 

It  is  recorded  that  when  Saladin,  the  bold  leader 
of  the  Moslems  in  the  Third  Crusade,  was  on  his 
death-bed  he  bade  his  attendants  hang  his  shroud 
upon  the  outer  walls  of  his  palace  and  cry  aloud, 
"  This  is  all  that  remains  of  Saladin  the  Great,  who 
hoped  to  conquer  the  world ! "  But  the  empty 
shroud  in  the  sepulcher  of  Christ  meant  that  death 
had  no  more  dominion  over  him.  Thus  Peter  and 
his  companions  interpreted  it.  No  more  did  they 
say,  "  We  go  a-fishing."  Thenceforth,  in  pursu- 
ance of  their  original  call,  they  were  fishers  of  men. 
With  their  faith  thus  fortified  they  stood  ready  to 
face  all  dangers  in  the  service  of  their  living  Lord. 

So  do  we  find  our  strength  and  courage  in  the  as- 
surance that  from  his  high  place  he  leads  and  blesses 
those  who  follow  him.  "  Go,  labor  on ;  spend  and 
be  spent !  "  For  behold,  your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in 
the  Lord.  He  lives ;  and  "  because  he  liveth  we 
shall  live  also."  Wherefore  let  those  who  have  en- 
tered into  the  fellowship  of  this  glorious  hope  seek 
those  things  which  are  above  where  Christ  —  the 
ever  living  and  reigning  Christ  —  sitteth  at  the  right 
hand  of  God. 

.124 


Section  VI 

"  He  ascended   into  heaven   and  sitteth  on  the 
right  hand  of  God  the  Father  Almighty." 


To-day  our  Lord  went  up  on  high, 

And  so  our  songs  we  raise : 
To  him  with  strong  desire  we  cry 

To  keep  us  in  his  grace ; 
For  we  poor  sinners  here  beneath 
Are  dwelling  still  'mid  woe  and  death. 

All  hope  in  him  we  place: 
Hallelujah! 

Thank  God  that  now  the  way  is  made! 

The  cherub-guarded  door, 
Through  Him  on  whom  our  help  was  laid, 

Stands  open  evermore; 
Who  knoweth  this  is  glad  at  heart, 
And  swift  prepares  him  to  depart 
Where  Christ  is  gone  before: 
Hallelujah! 

—  Johannes  Zwick. 


"  HE  ASCENDED  INTO  HEAVEN  " 

Scene:     The  Mount  of  Olives. 

Time:  Forty  days  after  the  resurrection  of 
Christ. 

Dramatis  Personcc:  Christ  and  a  company  of  his 
friends  assembled  by  his  appointment. 

ALL  are  on  the  qui  znvc.  While  waiting  for 
his  appearance  they  recall  the  three  event- 
ful years  of  their  association  with  him. 
They  speak  also  of  the  future.  Is  it  their  Lord's 
will  at  this  time  to  proclaim  his  earthly  sovereignty  ? 
Possibly  this  is  the  meaning  of  his  appointment 
with  them  to-day.  Will  he  lead  the  way  to  Jerusa- 
lem, claim  his  scepter  and  usher  in  the  Golden  Age  ? 
Down  below  flows  the  Kidron;  how  often  they 
have  crossed  it  on  their  way  to  the  trysting-place 
at  Gethsemane !  In  the  distance  are  the  homes  and 
temples  of  Jerusalem.  Whichever  way  they  look 
is  holy  ground.  The  footprints  of  their  Lord  are 
on  every  path  and  hillside.  Memories  come  crowd- 
ing thick  and  fast  upon  the  minds  of  these  watchers 
of  Olivet,  when  suddenly  he  stands  among  them. 
"  Peace  be  unto  you!  " 

It  is  his  familiar  salutation.     How  eagerly  they 
127 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

gaze  upon  the  face  that  so  lately  was  marked  with 
the  death  anguish.  The  greetings  over,  they  un- 
burden their  minds :  "  Lord,  dost  thou  at  this  time 
restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel  ?  "  He  replies,  "  It 
is  not  for  you  to  know  times  or  seasons."  Then  he 
renews  the  promise  of  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit, 
and  repeats  the  injunction  to  go  into  all  the  world 
and  preach  his  gospel.  They  gather  around  him  in 
love  and  wonder  and  reverence;  he  lifts  his  pierced 
hands  in  blessing,  and  slowly  rises  from  their  midst. 
"  Earth  has  lost  her  power  to  keep ;  the  waiting 
heavens  claim  him." 

As  he  ascends  through  the  yielding  air  his  eyes 
are  bent  on  his  disciples ;  his  arms  are  outstretched, 
and  his  voice,  heard  for  the  last  time,  dies  away  in 
benediction.  They  utter  no  despairing  cry  like  that 
of  the  prophet  who  saw  Elijah  ascend  in  a  chariot 
of  fire,  but  silently,  with  strained  eyes,  they  follow 
him  upward  into  the  deep  blue  till  the  clouds,  like 
a  white  pavilion,  enfold  him.  There  are  flashes  of 
gold  like  speeding  cohorts  of  angels,  vibrations  of 
light  like  the  waving  of  celestial  banners,  then 
a  crimson  glory  at  the  rolling  back  of  Heaven's 
gates. 

How  simple  yet  sublime  this  parting  from  his 
earthly  friends!  But  who  shall  tell  w^hat  took  place 
behind  those  receiving  clouds?  In  what  new  form 
of  majesty,  with  what  swift  flight  through  the  rare 
cloudless  ether,  by  what  heavenly  hosts  attended 
and  with  what  rhapsodies  of  song,  was  this  King  of 

128 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Glory  escorted  through  the  everlasting  gates  and 
welcomed  to  his  holy  hill  ? 

Did  these  disciples  kneeling  on  Olivet  with  up- 
turned faces  hear  from  the  far  distance  an  echo 
of  the  ancient  war  cry  of  prophecy,  "  God  is  gone 
up  with  a  shout,  Jehovah  with  the  sound  of  a  trum- 
pet"? Or  did  there  come  from  afar  a  mingled 
sound  as  of  many  waters  when  their  Lord  passed 
through  the  prostrate  ranks  of  the  great  multitude, 
while  angels  that  excel  in  strength  and  ciders  with 
harps  and  vials  full  of  odors  bowed  low  and  sang, 
"  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  hath  been  slain  to  re- 
ceive the  power  and  riches  and  wisdom  and  might 
and  honor  and  glory  and  blessing  "  ?  Did  ten  thou- 
sand times  ten  thousand,  with  a  voice  like  a  rolling 
ocean,  cry  "  Amen  and  Amen !  "  as  he  thus  resumed 
the  glory  which  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the 
world  was?  Were  these  the  visions  that  passed 
before  the  bewildered  eyes  of  his  disciples  that  day? 


129 


"AND  SITTETH  ON  THE  RIGHT 

HAND  OF  GOD  THE  FATHER 

ALMIGHTY  " 

IT  is  recorded  that  when  Jesus  had  finished  the 
work  which  he  had  come  into  the  world  to  do 
he  returned  to  "  the  glory  which  he  had  with 
the  Father  before  the  world  was." 

Mark  says  he  "  was  received  up  into  heaven  and 
sat  down  at  the  right  hand  of  God." 

Paul  says,  "  The  Father  .  .  .  made  him  to  sit 
at  his  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above 
all  rule  and  authority  and  power  and  dominion 
and  every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this 
world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come :  and  he 
put  all  things  in  subjection  under  his  feet,  and  gave 
him  to  be  head  over  all  things  to  the  church,  which 
is  his  body,  the  fullness  of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all." 
And  elsewhere  the  same  apostle  enjoins  us  as  fol- 
lowers of  Christ  to  "  seek  the  things  that  are  above, 
where  Christ  is  seated  on  the  right  hand  of  God." 

Peter  says  that  Jesus  "  is  on  the  right  hand  of 
God,  having  gone  into  heaven;  angels  and  authori- 
ties and  powers  being  made  subject  unto  him." 

The  writer  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  says: 
"  God,  having  of  old  time  spoken  unto  the  fathers 

130 


^ 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

In  the  prophets  by  divers  portions  and  in  divers 
manners,  hath  at  the  end  of  these  days  spoken  unto 
us  in  his  Son,  whom  he  appointed  heir  of  all  things, 
through  whom  also  he  made  the  worlds;  who  being 
the  effulgence  of  his  glory,  and  the  very  image  of 
his  substance,  and  upholding  all  things  by  the  word 
of  his  power,  when  he  had  made  purification  of  sins, 
sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high; 
having  become  by  so  much  better  than  the  angels,  as 
he  hath  inherited  a  more  excellent  name  than  they." 
In  another  place  the  same  writer  says,  "  Seeing  we 
are  compassed  about  with  so  great  a  cloud  of  wit- 
nesses, lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which 
doth  so  easily  beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience 
the  race  that  is  set  before  us,  looking  unto  Jesus 
the  author  and  perfecter  of  our  faith,  who  for  the 
joy  that  was  set  before  him  endured  the  cross,  de- 
spising shame,  and  hath  sat  down  at  the  right  hand 
of  the  throne  of  God." 

''  In  these  and  other  passages  of  like  import  we  are 
given  to  understand  that  Christ,  having  accom- 
plished his  great  purpose  in  the  redemption  of  the 
race,  has  entered  into  his  rest.  By  his  vicarious 
death  he  laid  the  foundation  of  a  Kingdom  of 
Truth  and  Righteousness  which  is  ultimately  to  be 
established  in  this  world  of  ours.l 

In  the  forty  days  which  intervened  between  his 
resurrection  and  ascension  he  met  his  disciples  re- 
peatedly and  marked  out  for  them  the  plan  of  the 
campaign ;  gave  them  their  great  commission,  "  Go 

131 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
whole  creation,"  and  equipped  them  for  their  work 
by  conferring  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Having  thus  set  in  motion  the  forces  which  were 
destined  to  bring  in  the  Golden  Age,  he  was  quite 
ready  to  enter  into  his  rest. 

And  now  he  sits  in  heaven  "expecting."  (Heb. 
10:13.) 

T'  Meanwhile  the  work  of  the  Kingdom  goes  on 
under  the  supervision  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  the 
Executive  of  the  Church,  leading  its  members  "  into 
all  truth,"  putting  them  in  remembrance  of  the  teach- 
ings of  Christ  and  directing  them  in  the  campaign. 
The  Kingdom  is  Christ's,  as  "  the  fruit  of  the 
travail  of  his  soul " ;  but  the  work  of  establishing 
the  Kingdom  on  earth  is  under  the  immediate  con- 
trol and  supervision  of  the  Holy  Spirit^ 
^  In  the  fullness  of  time  the  Lord  will  appear  to 
claim  his  own.  He  will  come  to  assume  the  throne 
when,  under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  the  Gospel 
shall  have  been  preached  to  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  earth.  Then  the  tabernacle  of  God  shall  be 
among  men,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them,  and  they 
shall  be  his  people,  and  God  —  the  God  of  salvation 
—  will  be  their  God.) 

As  the  years  pass  and  the  campaign  is  progres- 
sively carried  on,  the  expectant  Christ  "  ever  liveth 
to  make  intercession  "  for  us.  It  goes  without  say- 
ing that  he  has  lost  none  of  his  interest  in  the  wel- 
fare of  those  for  whom  he  died.     Their  names  are 


/  132 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

graven  on  the  palms  of  his  hands.     Blessed  assur- 
ance! 

'"  Five  bleeding  wounds  he  bears, 

Received  on  Calvary ; 
They  pour  effectual  prayers, 

They  strongly  plead  for  me. 
'  Forgive  him,  oh  forgive,'  they  cry, 
*  Nor  let  this  ransomed  sinner  die! '  "I 

It  is  the  vision  of  the  uplifted  Christ  that  gives 
his  followers  impetus  and  strength  for  the  work 
of  the  kingdom.  Paul  on  his  way  down  to  Damas- 
cus caught  the  vision,  and  it  transformed  his  life. 
"  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  "  was  his 
answer.  He  was  ready  for  whatever  awaited  him : 
and  thenceforth  not  duty  but  the  love  of  Christ 
constrained  him. 

John  the  Evangelist  had  a  like  vision  in  the  Isle 
of  Patmos:  "I  was  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's 
day,  .  .  .  and  I  saw  seven  golden  candlesticks ;  and 
in  the  midst  of  the  candlesticks  One  like  unto  a  son 
of  man,  clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot, 
and  girt  about  at  the  breasts  with  a  golden  girdle. 
And  his  head  and  his  hair  were  white  as  white  wool, 
white  as  snow;  and  his  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire ; 
and  his  feet  like  unto  burnished  brass,  as  if  it  had 
been  refined  in  a  furnace ;  and  his  voice  as  the  voice 
of  many  waters.  And  he  had  in  his  right  hand 
seven  stars;  and  out  of  his  mouth  proceeded  a  sharp 
two-edged  sword:  and  his  countenance  was  as  the 

133 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

sun  shineth  in  his  strength.  And  when  I  saw  him, 
I  fell  at  his  feet  as  one  dead.  And  he  laid  his  right 
hand  upon  me,  saying,  Fear  not;  I  am  the  first  and 
the  last  and  the  Living  One;  and  I  was  dead,  and 
behold,  I  am  alive  for  evermore,  and  I  have  the  keys 
of  death  and  of  Hades," 

H  ever  our  courage  fails,  when  the  fountains  of 
the  great  deep  seem  to  be  broken  up,  let  us  lift  our 
eyes  also  to  the  Lord  sitting  upon  his  throne,  high 
and  lifted  up.  The  darkest  clouds  are  far  this  side 
of  heaven,  where  in  calm  majesty  the  King  wields 
his  scepter.  Let  us  look  unto  the  celestial  hills. 
God  is  our  refuge  and  our  strength,  a  very  present 
help  in  trouble;  therefore  will  we  not  fear,  though 
the  earth  be  removed  and  though  all  the  nearer 
mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the 
sea. 

I  have  in  my  study  a  remarkable  book  called 
"  The  Ten  Theophanies,"  by  Dr.  Baker,  whose 
name  is  not  unfamiliar  in  the  annals  of  lighter  lit- 
erature. As  his  life  was  wearing  to  its  close,  he 
felt  a  consuming  desire  to  present  his  view  of  the 
unveiling  of  God.  The  book,  which  was  written 
with  a  hand  growing  constantly  feebler,  was  fin- 
ished at  length  in  full  view  of  heaven.  Here  are 
its  concluding  words :  "  Try  to  bring  home  to 
yourself  this  Friend  of  mine,  who  is  God  yet  man, 
and  man  yet  God.  He  is  ever  lovingly  near,  in 
the  unlimited  prime  and  plenitude  and  power  of  his 
everlasting  grace.     The  man  who  is  writing  these 

134 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

lines  cannot  see  them  for  happy  tears.  He  trem- 
bles because  unable  to  contain,  while  yet  unable  to 
express,  the  thought  of  Immanuel,  God  with  us! 
And  now,  awaiting  the  appearing  of  our  Lord,  let 
me  sound  his  praise ;  the  blessed  and  only  potentate, 
King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  who  only  hath 
immortality,  dwelling  in  the  light  which  no  man 
can  approach  unto.  To  Him  be  honor  and  glory 
everlasting!"  The  writer's  labor  of  love  was  fin- 
ished; the  pen  dropped  from  his  trembling  fingers; 
a  new  Theophany  had  burst  upon  his  sight.  He 
was  in  the  midst  of  the  beatific  vision,  at  home  with 
God! 

To  one  who  had  thus  looked  on  God,  revealed  in 
the  majesty  and  holiness  of  His  beloved  Son,  there 
must  of  necessity  come  a  corresponding  conviction 
of  littleness  and  unworthiness.  So  was  it  with  Pe- 
ter on  that  morning  by  the  lake  of  Galilee, 
when  he  and  his  fellow  fishermen,  having  toiled  all 
night  and  taken  nothing,  saw  the  Master  on  the 
shore.  At  His  bidding  they  "  cast  their  nets  on  the 
right  side  of  the  ship  " ;  and  then  came  the  miracle ! 
Peter  had  long  known  Jesus  and  endeavored  to 
serve  him ;  but  in  that  wonderful  moment  he  caught 
such  a  glimpse  of  his  Lord's  majesty  and  of  the  in- 
effable holiness  which  ever  accompanies  it  that  he 
was  filled  with  an  overmastering  awe  and  forced  to 
utter  that  strange  and  apparently  inconsequent  cry, 
"  Depart  from  me,  O  Lord,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man!  " 
Thus  to  see  Christ  is  to  see  ourselves,  not  "  as  ithers 

135 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

see  us,'*  but  as  we  really  are  in  the  clear  white  light 
of  his  eyes. 

Never  until  we  have  caught  this  vision  shall 
we  be  the  sort  of  Christians  that  we  ought  to  be. 
Never  until  then  shall  we  rightly  apprehend  our 
place  in  the  mighty  plan  of  God.  Never  until  then 
shall  we  escape  the  drudgery  of  duty  and  enter  on 
the  joy  of  voluntary  service  with  the  cry,  "  Here  am 
I;  send  me!  "' 

A  hopeless  dreamer  of  dreams  was  Elijah  until 
he  caught  the  vision.  He  shook  and  trembled  as 
the  earthquake  and  the  tempest  and  the  fire  passed 
by;  afterward  came  the  still  small  voice,  "Go,  re- 
turn!" Then  and  there  a  new  and  better  life  be- 
gan for  him.  He  knew  now  that  the  king  was  on 
his  throne,  high  and  lifted  up;  and  that  this  God 
was  his  God  for  ever  and  ever. 

Oh,  that  the  Vision  might  come  to  us,  to  us  who 
feel  our  inefficiency  and  would  fain  enter  upon  a 
higher  and  more  useful  life!  We  may  have  the  vi- 
sion if  we  will.  The  heavens  are  open.  And  the 
Voice  is  calling,  "  Whom  shall  I  send,  and  who  will 
go  for  us  ?  "  Are  we  ready  to  answer,  "  Here  am 
I ;  send  me  "  ? 


136 


Section  VII 

"  From  thence  he  shall  come  to  judge  the  quick 
and  the  dead." 


r 

'  I  would  not  fix  the  time,  the  day  nor  hour 

When  thou  with  all  thine  angels  shalt  appear ; 

When  in  thy  Kingdom  thou  shalt  come  with  power. 

E'en  now,  perhaps,  the  promised  day  is  near ! 

For  though  in  slumber  deep  the  world  may  lie, 
And  e'en  thy  Church  forget  thy  great  command. 

Still  year  by  year  thy  coming  draweth  nigh. 
And  in  its  power  thy  kingdom  is  at  hand. 

—  Jones  Very., 


"FROM  THENCE  HE  SHALL  COME" 

THE  technical  term  for  the  Second  Coming 
of  Christ  is  parousia,  literally  "a  draw- 
ing near  "  or  "  being  alongside."  In  the 
early  Church  a  constant  emphasis  was  laid  upon 
this  transcendent  hope ;  and  there  is  reason  for  pro- 
found regret  that  the  edge  of  expectancy  has  so 
largely  been  permitted  to  wear  off.  \ 

The  ascension  of  Christ  occurred  in  the  year  33. 
As  early  as  the  year  66  Peter  felt  called  upon  to  re- 
vive the  languid  spirit  of  the  disciples  in  these 
words:  "I  write  unto  you;  and  I  stir  up  your 
sincere  mind  by  putting  you  in  remembrance ;  that 
ye  should  remember  the  words  which  were  spoken 
before  by  the  holy  prophets  and  the  commandment 
of  the  Lord  and  Saviour  through  your  apostles: 
knowing  this  first,  that  in  the  last  days  niockers 
shall  come  with  mockery,  walking  after  their  own 
lusts,  and  saying,  Where  is  the  promise  of  his  com- 
ing?"    II  Peter  3:1-4. 

And  now  that  nineteen  centuries  have  passed,  the 
followers  of  Christ  are  still  waiting;  and  scoffers 
are  still  asking,  "Where  is  the  promise?"  Are 
we  to  conclude  that  ^there  has  been  some  mistake  ? 
Is  there  really  anywhere  such  a  promise;  and,  if  so, 
where  ? 

139 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

I.  It  was  given  by  the  angels  on  the  Mount  of 
Ascension:  "  He  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as 
ye  beheld  him  going  into  heaven." 

This  promise  of  the  Second  Coming  of  Christ 
cannot  be  explained  away  by  referring  it  to  his  influ- 
ential presence.  It  is  true  that  he  has  ever  been 
the  commanding  figure  in  history,  since  the  com- 
bined influence  of  all  the  Caesars  and  Alexanders  and 
Napoleons  is  not  comparable  with  that  of  him  who 
has  come  down  through  the  centuries,  marching  on 
the  heights  of  Bozrah  with  garments  dyed  red  in 
the  winepress  of  redeeming  grace.  But  this  does 
not  answer  the  conditions  of  the  promise,  "  He  shall 
so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  beheld  him  going." 

Nor  can  it  be  explained  away  as  a  reference  to 
the  miracle  of  Pentecost.  Our  Lord  did  indeed  so 
pour  out  his  Spirit  on  that  memorable  day  that  his 
Church  was  baptized  with  fire  and  power  for  the 
great  campaign  before  it.  But  this  was  not  the 
coming  referred  to. 

Nor  was  the  prophecy  fulfilled  in  the  retributive 
coming  of  Christ  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 
He  was  present  then  with  fan  in  hand  to  purge  his 
threshing-floor ;  but  this  was  with  no  such  benig- 
nant glory  as  when  he  ascended  into  the  heavens 
that  opened  to  receive  him. 

Nor  are  the  demands  of  this  promise  met  by  the 
sympathetic  coming  of  Christ  referred  to  in  his 
words,  "  I  will  not  leave  you  desolate :  I  come  unto 
you."     Here  is  a  wonderful  truth,  which  is  realized 

140 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

in  the  experience  of  every  true  follower  of  Christ ; 
but  it  does  not  exhaust  the  matter  in  hand.  The 
parousia  lies  deeper  yet. 

Still  less  can  the  promise  be  explained  away  by 
referring  it  to  Christ's  sustaining  grace  in  the  dying 
hour.  It  is  true  —  wonderfully  true  —  that  he 
meets  us  at  the  threshold  of  the  Valley  of  the 
Shadow  and  offers  his  rod  and  staff  to  comfort  us ; 
but  this  does  not  meet  the  conditions  of  the  promise 
before  us. 

The  prophecy  given  on  the  Mount  of  Ascension 
is  that  he  shall  come  at  a  definite  time  and  in  a  def- 
inite way;  and  this  coming  is  further  described  in 
his  own  words  as  "  the  Son  of  Man  coming  on  the 
clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory.  And 
he  shall  send  forth  his  angels  with  a  great  sound  of 
a  trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together  his  elect 
from  .  .  .  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other."  It  is 
clear  from  such  passages  as  these  that  his  com- 
ing is  to  be  a  personal  coming,  at  a  definite  time,  in 
the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  the  holy  angels  with  him. 
II.  The  promise  runs  through  all  the  Scrip- 
tures like  a  golden  thread. 

In  the  first  prophecy  of  the  Old  Testament  there 
is  a  distinct  reference  to  the  final  triumph  of  the 
Seed  of  Woman  over  the  power  of  sin.  And  thence- 
forward there  is  a  continuous  line  of  prediction 
with  respect  to  the  paroiisia.  It  is  traceable  ever)^- 
where  in  the  Levitical  system  of  Messianic  rites 
and  ceremonies  as  well  as  in  the  prophetic  books. 

141 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

If  the  Old  Testament  speaks  thus  with  no  uncer- 
tain sound,  the  New  Testament  is  clearer  still. 
There  are  literally  hundreds  of  allusions  in  the 
teaching  of  Christ  and  his  apostles  to  his  return 
and  universal  reign. 

In  the  twenty- fourth  and  twenty-fifth  chapters  of 
Matthew  we  have  what  is  familiarly  known  as  "  the 
parousia  discourse  " ;  and  whatever  of  uncertainty 
there  may  be  as  to  its  interpretation  in  detail  and 
particular,  there  is  no  room  for  any  uncertainty 
as  to  the  promise  itself  of  his  ultimate  return  and 
glorious  reign  in  this  world  of  ours. 

The  teaching  of  the  apostles  is  of  the  same  tenor. 
Paul  and  Peter,  James  and  John,  were  all  looking 
for  his  appearing  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  The 
book  of  the  Revelation  would  be  a  mere  dream 
book,  a  panorama  of  meaningless  visions,  if  the 
paroima  were  left  out  of  it. 

The  Christians  of  the  early  Church  took  Christ 
and  the  apostles  at  their  word,  and  awaited  his 
coming  with  joyful  expectancy.  In  trying  times  of 
persecution  the  hope  of  his  appearing  was  their 
strength  and  support.  Their  customary  greeting 
morning  and  night  was  Maranatha,  "  The  Lord 
Cometh !  " 

III.  The  promise  may  be  read  clearly  in  the 
logic  of  events. 

If  the  angels  had  delivered  no  message  to  the  dis- 
ciples on  that  mountain  in  Galilee,  if  the  Scriptures 
had  made  no  prediction  of  the  parousia,  it  would 

142 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

still  be  forced  upon  us  by  the  fact  that  the  centuries 
have  been  moving  forward  in  converging  lines  of 
increasing  light  toward  one  focal  point.  What  is 
that  "  one  supreme  divine  event  to  which  the  whole 
creation  moves  "  ?  Call  it  the  "  Golden  Age  "  if 
you  choose.  It  borrows  all  its  luster  from  the  fact 
that  Christ,  marching  down  through  the  centuries, 
has  been  flooding  the  world  with  light.  He  is  com- 
ing to  reign !  "  The  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men, 
and  he  shall  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his 
peoples,  and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them,  and  be 
their  God." 

In  the  political  world  there  are  some  unmistaka- 
ble signs.  To  begin  with,  the  ends  of  the  earth  are 
coming  together.  A  man  can  go  from  New  York 
to  Hongkong  more  quickly  and  comfortably  than 
he  could  go  from  New  York  to  Santa  Fe  a  hundred 
years  ago.  There  are  tunnels  through  the  moun- 
tains, cobwebs  of  railways  cover  the  land,  cables 
undergird  the  seas  and  electric  wires  carry  messages 
through  the  air.  The  words  of  Puck  in  "  Midsum- 
mer Night's  Dream,"  "  Fll  put  a  girdle  round  the 
earth  in  forty  minutes,"  have  been  more  than  real- 
ized. It  is  not  far  to  anywhere  in  these  neigh- 
borly days  of  ours. 

Again,  the  nations  \lhat  dwelt  in  darkness  are 
emerging  into  light.  It  is  little  more  than  half  a 
century  since  Commodore  Perry  opened  the  ports 
of  Japan;  and  Japan  is  one  of  the  Great  Powers  to- 
day.    It  is  less  than  half  a  century  since  Living- 

143 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

stone  died  on  his  knees  in  mid- Africa;  and  lo,  the 
face  of  Ethiopia  is  turned  toward  the  rising  sun! 
It  is  scarcely  a  decade  since  the  decree  against  for- 
eigners was  annulled  in  China  and,  behold,  the 
Great  Wall  is  no  more.  The  darkness  lifts!  The 
nations  are  wheeling  into  line.  What  for?  It  is 
for  thoughtful  readers  of  history  and  the  newspa- 
pers to  ask,  What  shall  the  end  be? 

Moreover,  the  gates  of  the  temple  of  Janus  are 
wide  open.  The  clash  of  Armageddon  comes  be- 
fore the  advent  of  the  Prince  of  Peace,  Read 
Matthew  24:6-8,  War  itself  is  destined  to  make 
an  end  of  war.  The  Great  Powers  must  see  their 
armaments  put  to  shame  before  their  swords  can 
be  beaten  into  plowshares  and  their  spears  into  prun- 
ing hooks.  The  roar  of  cannon  must  exhaust  it- 
self in  absurd  and  futile  strife  before  the  angels' 
song  can  be  heard  again,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest,  and  on  earth  peace  among  men  in  whom 
he  is  well  pleased," 

In  the  religious  world,  also,  there  are  unmistak- 
able signs.  For  instance,  the  opening  of  the  doors 
of  the  nations  to  the  incoming  of  the  gospel.  In  the 
"  Missionary  Concerts "  of  fifty  years  ago  there 
were  frequent  prayers  for  the  opening  of  these 
doors.  No  such  prayer  is  heard  to-day.  The 
hands  of  the  nations  are  beckoning,  like  those  of  the 
man  of  Macedonia,  and  all  benighted  peoples  are 
calling,  "  Come  over  and  help  us !  " 

Consider,  also,  the  enlistment  of  volunteers.  In 
144 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

my  Seminary  days  it  was  a  difficult  matter  to  induce 
theological  students  to  offer  themselves  for  mission- 
ary service;  now  it  is  almost  impossible  to  restrain 
them.  The  Missionary  Boards  are  embarrassed 
by  eager  volunteers.  Only  the  choicest  are  se- 
lected to  go. 

And  above  all,  observe  the  ingathering  of  souls. 
William  Carey  preached  seven  years  in  India  with- 
out a  sign  of  success;  then  Krishna  Pal  was  con- 
verted. Now  who  shall  count  the  converts  of  In- 
dia? It  seems  but  yesterday  that  our  missionaries 
were  permited  to  enter  Korea,  and  to-day  Korea 
is  white  unto  the  harvest.  The  heathen  are  coming 
to  Christ,  a  nation  in  a  day. 

And  in  the  world  of  unbelief  there  are  signs. 
The  decay  of  false  religions  must  not  be  overlooked. 
Of  all  the  great  religions  of  the  centuries  there  are 
only  three  which  now  have  even  a  name  to  live :  to 
wit,  Islam,  Buddhism^  and  Christianity ;  and  "  two 
of  these,"  as  Max  Miiller  said,  "  are  moribund." 
'The  only  living,  growing,  triumphing  religion  in 
the  world  is  the  religion  of  Christ.  1 

The  silencing  of  open  and  avowed  infidelity  must 
also  be  considered.  At  the  beginning  of  the  last 
century  the  air  was  rent  with  the  blasphemous  vo- 
ciferations of  Paine  and  Voltaire  and  Jean  Jacques 
Rousseau.  There  was  not  a  nation  which  did  not 
have  its  valorous  cohort  of  boastful  infidels  shaking 
their  clenched  fists  at  God.  The  last  of  the  Old 
Guard    were    Bradlaugh    in    England    and    Inger- 

145 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

soil  in  America;  and  they  have  gone  their  way. 

And  another  of  the  significant  signs  is  the  multi- 
plication of  false  teachers  within  the  Church. 
"  When  the  Son  of  Man  cometh,  shall  he  find  faith 
on  the  earth  ?  "  The  disciples  were  repeatedly  and 
most  earnestly  forewarned  that  in  the  last  days  false 
teachers  would  creep  in  to  deceive  the  very  elect. 
They  were  admonished  that  there  must  first  be  "  a 
falling  away "  before  Christ  could  come  into  his 
own.  (II  Thess.  2  13,  4.)  In  his  parousia  discourse 
our  Lord  announced  that  his  coming  would  be  pre- 
ceded by  *'  the  abomination  of  desolation,  which  was 
spoken  of  through  Daniel  the  prophet,  standing  in 
the  Holy  Place."  * 

If  there  ever  was  a  time  when  "  the  abomination 
of  desolation  "  was  entrenched  in  the  Holy  Place, 
it  is  surely  when  the  integrity  of  the  Scriptures  is 
denied,  the  veracity  of  Christ  impugned,  his  super- 
natural birth  called  in  question,  and  every  funda- 
mental doctrine  of  his  teaching  exposed  to  derisive 
doubt.  That  time  is  now.j  If  infidelity  has  ceased 
to  fulminate  its  impieties  outside  of  the  Church,  it 
is  largely  because  the  work  has  been  undertaken  and 
is  being  effectively  carried  on  by  men  in  canonicals. 
The  Trojan  horse  is  now  within  the  sacred  walls. 

*  The  immediate  reference  is  supposed  to  be  the  offering  of  a 
swine  upon  the  altar  of  the  Temple  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes  at 
the  overthrow  of  the  Holy  City.  In  this  manner  he  undertook 
to  put  to  shame  the  institution  of  sacrifice,  in  which  was  sym- 
bolically set  forth  the  offering  of  Christ  as  the  Lamb  of  God, 

146 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Shall  we  lose  heart  by  reason  of  this  fact?  Not 
at  all!  If  a  hundred  million  of  professing  Chris- 
tians were  to  be  led  away  by  false  teachers  into  the 
wilderness  of  unbelief,  there  would  still  be  four 
hundred  millions  on  earth  professing  the  name  of 
Jesus  and  presumably  true  to  their  consecration 
vows:  and  that  would  be  twice  as  many  as  there 
were  a  century  ago! 

"  Take  heart !     The  waster  builds  again : 
A  charmed  life  old  Goodness  hath, 
The  tares  may  perish ;  but  the  grain 
Is  not  for  death !  " 

In  view  of  these  facts,  what  shall  we  say? 

First.  Let  us  believe  the  promise.  For  thus  it 
is  written  and  thus  it  must  be.  "  But  forget  not 
this  one  thing,  beloved,  that  one  day  is  with  the  Lord 
as  a  thousand  years,  and  a  thousand  years  as  one 
day.  The  Lord  is  not  slack  concerning  his  promise, 
as  some  count  slackness ;  but  is  longsuffering  to  you- 
ward,  not  wishing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that 
all  should  come  to  repentance."  (II  Peter  3  :8,  9.) 
If  he  delays  it  is  not  because  he  has  forgotten,  but 
because  he  is  divinely  patient  with  the  children  of 
men. 

Second.  Let  us  he  ready.  "  For  in  an  hour 
when  ye  think  not  the  Son  of  Man  cometh."  Let 
us  watch,  therefore;  not  as  those  who  stand  with 
folded  hands  looking  out  of  their  windows,  but 
rather  Hke  those  who  with  their  sleeves  rolled  up 
I  147 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

and  sickle  in  hand  are  busy  in  the  yellow  fieldsj 
'  It  is  recorded  that  when  William  the  Conqueror 
came  to  England  the  barons  prostrated  themselves 
before  him  and  took  this  vow :  "  I  do  become  thy 
liege  man,  for  life  and  limb  and  earthly  regard;  and 
I  do  pledge  myself  to  keep  faith  and  loyalty  with 
thee,  for  life  and  death,  as  God  shall  help  me."  In 
a  like  spirit  let  us  continually  renew  our  consecra- 
tion to  Christ,  For  the  highway  must  be  cast  up 
before  he  comes.  The  stones  of  stumbling  must 
be  gathered  out.  There  is  much  to  be  done;  but 
when  it  is  done,  oh,  happy  day,  the  heavens  shall 
part  asunder  and  his  people  shall  cry,  "  Behold 
him!"  Then  we  shall  see  him  —  hisce  oculis  — 
with  these  very  eyes  !j 


148 


"  TO  JUDGE  THE  QUICK  AND  THE 
DEAD  " 


T 


"^HE  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  with 
reference  to  the  Judgment  were  understood 
by  the  Jews  to  mean  that  in  the  fullness 
of  time  God  would  avenge  their  national  wrongs 
and  rebuild  the  Theocracy  of  former  days.  The 
Son  of  David,  that  is  the  Messiah,  was  to  tread 
their  enemies  under  foot,  ruling  them  with  a  rod 
of  iron,  and  thus  restore  the  glory  to  Israel. 

'But  in  the  teaching  of  Christ  this  event  is  pro- 
jected along  larger  lines  and  invested  with  stupen- 
dous import.  In  his  Parousia  discourse  he  spoke 
in  unmistakable  terms  of  a  Final  Assize  at  which 
there  would  be  an  adjustment  of  all  human  affairs; 
as  in  this  passage :  "  When  the  Son  of  Man  shall 
come  in  his  glory  and  all  the  angels  with  him,  then 
shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory:  and  before 
him  shall  be  gathered  all  the  nations;  and  he  shall 
separate  them  one  from  another,  as  the  shepherd 
separateth  the  sheep  from  the  goats."  (Matt.  25: 
31.  32..ii 

As  to  many  particulars  of  the  Judgment  we 
cannot  speak  dogmatically;  since  our  Lord's  proph- 
ecies were  designedly  and  for  obvious  reasons  inter- 
woven with  predictions  of  such  other  events  as  the 

149 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the  Pentecostal  mira- 
cle: but  some  things  stand  out  in  bold  relief  and 
may  be  affirmed  without  doubt  or  misgiving. 

I.  The  Fact.  There  is  no  possibility  of  mis- 
understanding the  parables  in  which  our  Lord  por- 
trays the  events  of  the  Great  Day. 

And  this  is  in  clear  accord  with  a  universal  intui-^ 
tion.  The  doctrine  of  the  Judgment  is  not  de- 
rived from  the  teachings  of  Christ;. he  simply  puts 
his  official  imprimatur  upon  it.  The  thought  is  in- 
volved in  the  very  conception  of  God.  If  the  pres- 
ent confused  order  is  a  complete  economy,  then  the 
world  is  governed  either  by  chance  or  —  which  is  a 
contradiction  of  terms  —  by  an  unjust  God.  If 
there  is  a  Supreme  Being  in  the  universe,  he  must, 
as  Anne  of  Austria  said,  be  "  a  sure  paymaster." 

The  thought  of  judgment  is  also  derived  from 
the  very  nature  of  man.  We  are  made  in  God's 
likeness  and,  as  normal  beings,  bound  to  have  the 
full  benefit  of  law.  The  lower  orders  are  not  so. 
If  a  dog  shows  himself  to  be  incorrigibly  vicious, 
he  is  muzzled  or  shot ;  but  an  immortal  man  cannot 
be  disposed  of  in  that  way.  He  demands  justice; 
and  his  Maker  is  bound,  by  the  necessity  of  his  na- 
ture, to  grant  it. 

II.  The  Judgment  is  to  occur  at  a  Definite  Time. 
Christ  refers  to  it  as  "  the  Great  Day,"  "  the  Day 
of  the  Lord,  "  the  Last  Day,"  and  "  That  Day." 
Dies  irce,  dies  ilia! 

It  is   frequently  said  that  the  judgment  is-  now 

150 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

.  going  on.  This  is  true  only  so  far  as  that  some  of 
the^  consequences  of  sin  are  experienced  here  and 
now.  "  The  bones  of  the  wicked  are  full  of  the 
sins  of  their  youth."  He  who  violates  a  physical 
law  is  pretty  certain  to  incur  one  or  more  of  the  ills 
that  human  flesh  is  heir  to. 

It  cannot  be  maintained,  however,  that  the  pres- 
ent order  is  complete.  This  was  the  error  of  Job's 
friends,  who  argued  that  God  governs  the  world 
upon  a  principle  of  minute  retribution,  so  that  every 
man  is  rewarded  or  punished  here  according  to  his 
works.  On  the  contrary,  the  present  order  is  one 
of  vast  confusion.  The  wicked  are  frequently  ex- 
alted, so  that  they  flourish  like  a  green  bay-tree; 
while  the  righteous  go  mourning  all  their  days. 
-How  shall  this  be  accounted  for?  Augustine  says: 
"  H  no  sins  were  punished  in  this  present  time,  we 
should  conclude  that  there  is  no  God;  but  if  all  sins 
were  punished  here  and  now,  we  should  conclude 
that  there  is  to  be  no  judgment."  As  matters  are, 
we  are  constrained  to  follow  the  argument  to  its 
logical  conclusion,  which  leads  us  to  the  Judgment 
Day. 

—  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  the  word 
"  day  "  used  in  this  connection  is  to  be  taken  in  its 
larger  sense,  as  indicating  a  definite  time.  It  is 
called  "  the  last  day "  because  it  occurs  upon  the 
border  line  between  time  and  eternity,  closing  the 
temporal  order.  Present  events  are  marked  off  by 
the  ticking  of  the  pendulum;  but  there  will  be  no 

151 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

chronometer  in  eternity.  The  procession  of  days 
will  close  with  the  "  last  day."  When  the  angel 
stands  with  one  foot  upon  the  sea  and  the  other 
upon  the  land,  crying,  "  Time  no  longer!  "  then  the 
books  will  be  opened  and  there  will  be  a  "  restora- 
tion of  all  things." 

III.  Christ  will  be  the  Judge.  "  He  shall  sit 
upon  the  throne  of  his  glory."  During  his  earthly 
ministry  he  disavowed  the  judicial  function.  He 
said,  "  God  sent  not  the  Son  into  the  world  to  judge 
the  world;  but  that  the  world  should  be  saved 
through  him"  (John  3:17):  and  again,  "I  came 
not  to  judge  the  world,  but  to  save  the  world." 
(John  12:47.)  He  refused  to  arbitrate  a  dispute 
about  an  inheritance,  saying,  "  Man,  who  made  me 
a  judge  or  a  divider  over  you?"  (Luke  12:14.) 
In  the  case  of  the  woman  taken  in  adultery,  he  said, 
"  Neither  do  I  condemn  thee :  go  thy  way :  from 
henceforth  sin  no  more."      (John  8:11.) 

But  he  distinctly  asserts  that  in  the  rounding  up 
of  the  present  dispensation  he  will  assume  and  exer- 
cise the  function:  "For  neither  doth  the  Father 
judge  any  man,  but  he  hath  given  all  judgment 
unto  the  Son"  (John  5:22);  "and  he  gave  him 
authority  to  execute  judgment,  because  he  is  a  son 
of  man."  (John  5:27.)  '  As  Son  of  Man,  that  is 
the  Messiah,  he  only  is  qualified  to  open  the  Bool? 
of  Judgment:  "And  they  sing  a  new  song,  say- 
ing. Worthy  art  thou  to  take  the  book  and  to  open 
the  seals  thereof;  for  thou  wast  slain  and  didst  pur- 

152 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

chase  unto  God  with  thy  blood  men  of  every  tribe 
and  tongue  and  people  and  nation,  and  madest  them 
to  be  unto  our  God  a  kingdom  and  priests."  (Rev. 
5:9.)  As  God,  he  knows  man  through  and 
through;  and  as  man,  he  is  able  to  sympathize  with 
us.  We  say  in  common  parlance,  "  Every  man  is 
entitled  to  be  judged  by  his  peers  " ;  and,  so  far  as 
this  is  concerned,  there  will  be  no  occasion  for  com- 
plaint in  the  Great  Day. 

The  fact  that  the  Redeemer  is  to  sit  upon  the 
throne  of  judgment  is  fraught  with  portentous 
omens  for  those  who  reject  him.  "  They  shall  look 
on  him  whom  they  pierced";  and  the  thought  of 
their  folly  and  ingratitude  will  overwhelm  them,  so 
that  they  shall  call  out  to  the  mountains  and  rocks, 
"  Fall  on  us  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  him  that 
sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the 
Lamb ! "  But  there  is  infinite  comfort  in  this 
thought  for  those  who  have  loved  and  followed 
Christ.  Their  Saviour  is  to  be  their  Judge,  and 
their  Judge  will  also  be  their  Advocate. 

IV.  As  Christ  is  to  he  the  Judge,  so  the  assem- 
bled nations  shall  he  the  audience.  "And  before 
him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations."  A  vast  assem- 
blage! The  small  and  great,  the  just  and  un- 
just, all  ages  and  generations  of  the  children  of 
men !  The  General  Assize  is  come :  the  trumpet 
gives  the  summons:     Oyez!     Oyez! 

The  trial  will  be  public.  The  books  will  be 
opened  before  the  great  assembly.     Off   with   all 

153 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

masks !  There  will  be  no  concealments  then.  Here 
men  walk  in  dominoes  and  disguises;  there  every 
one  will  be  seen  in  propria  persona.  "  For  there  is 
nothing  covered  that  shall  not  be  revealed,  and  hid 
that  shall  not  be  known"  (Matthew  10:26);  and, 
"  Whatsoever  ye  have  said  in  the  darkness  shall  be 
heard  in  the  light;  and  what  ye  have  spoken  in  the 
ear  in  the  inner  chambers  shall  be  proclaimed  upon 
the  housetops."     (Luke  12:3.) 

V.  The  principle  upon  which  the  Judgment  will 
he  administered  is  Impartiality.  The  criterion  will 
be  an  even  balance. 

"  In  the  corrupted  currents  of  this  world 
Offence's  gilded  hand  may  shove  by  justice  ; 
And  in  worst  times  the  wretched  price  itself 
Buys  out  the  law.     But  'tis  not  so  above ; 
There  is  no  shuffling  there ;  the  action  lies 
In  its  true  nature;  and  we  ourselves  shall  be  com- 
pelled, 
E'en  to  the  teeth  and  forehead  of  our  faults, 
To  give  in  evidence." 

Justice,  perfect  and  absolute!  No  mercy  then, 
but  a  final  adjudication  under  the  exact  terms  of  the 
moral  law.  We  are  now  living  under  grace;  but 
this  is  a  probationary  period,  and  death  ends  it. 
Here  we  may  make  an  appeal,  from  justice  to  grace  : 
but  there  will  be  no  appeal  in  that  day.  The  admin- 
istration of  justice  will  be  so  perfect,  so  impartial, 
that  the  worst  sinner  in  the  universe  will  be  quite 

154 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

satisfied  that  the  Judge  has  dealt  fairly  with  him. 

But  justice  means  spiritual  death;  as  it  is  writ- 
ten, "  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die."  It  is  true 
that  he  that  *'  doeth  the  righteousness  which  is  of 
the  law  shall  live  thereby  " ;  but  where  in  the  world 
is  there  a  man  who  has  kept  the  law  ?  By  the  deeds 
of  the  law,  therefore,  shall  no  flesh  be  justified;  for 
"  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no  not  one," 

Are  none  to  be  saved,  then  ?  Yes ;  multitudes ! 
And  they  shall  be  saved  in  strict  accordance  with 
justice  and  under  the  most  rigid  terms  of  law.  All 
who  have  believed  in  Jesus  Christ  shall  enter  into 
life.  He  will  appear  as  their  Advocate,  saying,  "  I 
was  wounded  for  their  transgressions  and  bruised 
for  their  iniquities ;  I  bare  their  sins  in  my  own  body 
on  the  tree;  I  vindicated  the  law;  I  satisfied  justice 
by  expiating  the  penalty  of  their  sin."  They  shall, 
therefore,  go  free.  So  shall  God  be  manifestly 
"just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  hath  faith  in 
Jesus,"  that  is,  of  such  as  have  complied  with  the 
conditions  of  his  grace  by  accepting  Christ  and  put- 
ting their  trust  in  him. 

In  one  of  Luther's  sermons  he  relates  a  dream  in 
which  he  seemed  to  stand  before  the  judgment  bar. 
The  books  were  opened  and  he  saw  his  name  at- 
tached to  a  long  catalogue  of  sins.  The  adversary, 
at  his  elbow,  said,  "  Behold,  what  thou  hast  done ! 
Sins  of  omission  and  commission;  sins  thoughtless 
and  deliberate;  sins  black  and  many;  there  is  no 
hope  for  thee !  "     But  to  his  great  relief  he  per- 

155 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

ceived  these  words,  written  across  the  page,  "  The 
blood  of  Jesus  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin." 
So  the  touchstone  of  salvation  is  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ.  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  eternal 
life."      (John  3:36.) 

But  this  faith  is  to  be  measured  by  its  results ;  as 
the  Lord  said,  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
them  " ;  and,  "  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me. 
Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  who  is  in 
heaven."  (Matthew  7:21,  22.)  Let  it  be  remem- 
bered, however,  that  the  one  work  which  is  accept- 
able before  God  is  the  acceptance  of  his  grace;  as 
Jesus  said,  "  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  be- 
lieve on  him  whom  he  hath  sent."  And  all  good 
works  consequent  upon  this  faith  are  such  as  pro- 
ceed from  gratitude  to  Christ  and  find  their  ter- 
minus in  him.  He  gave  the  definition  of  a  good 
work  when  he  said  to  his  disciples,  who  murmured 
because  a  certain  woman  had  anointed  him  with 
precious  nard,  "  Let  her  alone ;  .  .  .  she  hath 
wrought  a  good  work  on  me."  And  again,  "  Inas- 
much as  ye  did  it  unto  one  of  these  my  brethren, 
even  these  least,  ye  did  it  unto  me."  ^  In  other 
words,  as  the  one  unpardonable  sin  is  the  rejection 
of  Christ  —  impardonable  because  it  shuts  the  only 
door  of  mercy  that  was  ever  opened  —  so  the  one 
meritorious  work,  far-reaching  and  comprehensive, 
is  the  life  beginning  in  faith  and  spent  in  the  serv- 
ice of  Christ. 

156 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

But  what  of  those  who  have  never  heard  of 
Christ  or  his  gospel?  ''What  is  to  become  of  the 
heathen  ?  "  We  may  rest  assured  that  God  will  deal 
fairly  with  them.  They  will  be  judged  by  their 
light  and  not  by  ours.  All  the  circumstances  of 
their  case  will  be  duly  considered,  and  no  one  among 
them  will  have  reason  to  complain  of  the  outcome. 
"^The  lines  of  procedure  are  laid  down  in  the  Parable 
of  the  Householder  and  his  Servants :  "  And  that 
servant  who  knew  his  lord's  will  and  made  not 
ready,  nor  did  according  to  his  will,  shall  be  beaten 
with  many  stripes;  but  he  that  knew  not,  and  did 
things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with  few 
stripes.  And  to  whomsoever  much  is  given,  of  him 
shall  much  be  required."  (Luke  12:47,  4^-) 
There  are  to  be  grades  of  punishment  and  degrees 
of  happiness  in  eternity:  and  these  will  be  meted  out 
not  indiscriminately,  but  with  a  due  regard  for  all 
the  circumstances  of  each  individual  case. 

There  is  deep  meaning  in  these  words :  "  Woe 
unto  thee,  Chorazin !  Woe  unto  thee,  Bethsaida ! 
For  if  the  mighty  works  had  been  done  in  Tyre  and 
Sidon  which  were  done  in  you,  they  would  have 
repented  long  ago  sitting  in  sackcloth  and  ashes." 
The  people  of  Tyre  and  Sidon  had  only  the  light  of 
nature  and  "  the  law  written  in  their  members  "  to 
live  by;  but  the  inhabitants  of  Chorazin  and  Beth- 
saida knew  the  Gospel  and  rejected  it.  And  again 
Jesus  said,  "  The  queen  of  the  south  shall  rise  up  in 
the  judgment  with  the  men  of  this  generation,  and 
.    157 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

shall  condemn  them;  for  she  came  from  the  ends 
of  the  earth  to  hear  the  wisdom  of  Solomon;  and 
behold,  a  greater  than  Solomon  is  here.  The  men 
of  Nineveh  shall  stand  up  in  the  judgment  with  this 
generation,  and  shall  condemn  it ;  for  they  repented 
at  the  preaching  of  Jonah;  and  behold,  a  greater 
than  Jonah  is  here."      (Luke  ii  131,  32.) 

VL  The  final  separation.  "  He  shall  separate 
them  one  from  another,  as  the  shepherd  separateth 
the  sheep  from  the  goats."  This  is  indicated  also  in 
the  Parable  of  the  Threshing-floor;  tares  to  the  fire 
and  wheat  to  the  garner  (Matthew  13  137-43 )  ;  and 
in  the  Parable  of  the  Talents ;  to  the  faithful  servant, 
"Well  done;  .  .  .  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy 
Lord  " ;  to  the  unprofitable  servant,  "  Cast  ye  him 
into  outer  darkness ;  there  shall  be  the  weeping  and 
the  gnashing  of  teeth"  (Matthew  25:14-30)  ;  and 
in  the  Parable  of  the  Ten  Virgins :  "  They  that 
were  ready  went  in  with  him  to  the  marriage  feast ; 
and  the  door  was  shut"  (Matthew  25:1-12)  ;  and 
in  the  Parable  of  Dives  and  Lazarus:  "  It  came  to 
pass  that  the  beggar  died,  and  that  he  was  carried 
away  by  the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom ;  and 
the  rich  man  also  died,  and  was  buried.  And  in 
Hades  he  lifted  up  his  eyes.  .  .  .  Between  us  and 
you  there  is  a  great  gul  f  fixed. ' '  ( Luke  16:1 9-3 1 . ) 
Thus  every  man  goes  to  "  his  own  place  " ;  that  is, 
to  the  place  for  which  his  character  and  life  have  fit- 
ted him. 

The  question  whether  this  separation  is  to  be  local 

158 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

or  not  is  of  slight  moment.  We  cannot  speak  of 
eternal  facts  in  the  terminology  of  time  and  space. 
The  important  matter  is  that  the  separation  will  be 
real.  I  know  a  man  and  wife  who  have  lived  under 
the  same  roof  for  fifty  years,  and  have  yet  been  as 
far  apart  as  the  poles.  It  is  clear  that  the  righteous 
and  unrighteous  shall  have  nothing  in  common  in  the 
future  life;  they  shall  pursue  eternally  diverging 
paths,  because  they  are  at  odds  in  the  matter  of  su- 
preme importance,  that  is,  their  relation  with  God. 
One  thing  remains  to  be  said :  it  is  of  God's  mercy 
that  we  are  warned  in  time.  As  yet  we  are  living 
in  the  dispensation  of  grace.  Life  is  offered  gratis 
to  all  who  will  accept  it.  We  may  prefer  to  take 
our  chances  under  the  law.  We  may  reject  grace 
and  insist  on  justice.  This  is  for  us  to  say.  It  is 
written  of  God  that  he  will  not  "  turn  aside  the  right 
of  a  man  before  the  face  of  the  Most  High."  But 
if  a  man  is  afraid  of  justice  and  wants  mercy,  he 
must  accept  it  here  and  now.  There  will  be  no  ap- 
peal from  law  in  the  Great  Day. 


159 


Section  VIII 
I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost." 


Creator  Spirit,  by  whose  aid 
The  world's  foundations  first  were  laid, 
Come,  visit  every  pious  mind ; 
Come,  pour  thy  joys  on  humankind ; 
From  sin  and  sorrow  set  us  free. 
And  make  thy  temples  worthy  thee. 

—  Charlemagne. 


"  I  BELIEVE  IN  THE  HOLY  GHOST  " 

IT  is  a  mistake  to  think  of  the  coming  of  the  Holy- 
Spirit  as  an  after-thought  in  the  divine  plan.  I 
am  not  forgetting  the  Day  of  Pentecost  —  the 
sound  of  a  rushing,  mighty  wind,  and  the  coming  of 
the  Spirit  so  potently  that  it  was  like  lambent 
tongues  of  flame  on  the  foreheads  of  the  disciples. 
That  was  the  birthday  of  the  Christian  Church  and 
the  beginning  of  the  "  Dispensation  of  the  Spirit," 
distinctively  so  called.  But  the  Spirit  of  God  was 
always  on  earth  as  the  Spirit  of  life. 

There  would  be  no  life  of  any  sort  anywhere  but 
for  him.  So  we  read  that  at  the  very  beginning 
he  "  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters."  The 
earth  was  "waste  and  void."  Chaos  and  confu- 
sion! And  the  Spirit  moved,  literally  "brooded," 
on  the  face  of  the  waters,  like  a  parent  bird  on  the 
nest,  warming  death  into  life. 

To  begin  at  the  bottom  of  things, —  all  physical 
life  is  from  him.  The  life  of  the  vegetable  and  ani- 
mal world  was  induced  by  coming  into  touch  with 
the  Spirit  of  Life.  Ask  any  scientist  on  earth  about 
the  origin  of  life,  and  he  will  tell  you  that,  while 
we  know  very  little,  we  can  positively  affirm  that 

163 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

there  is  *'  no  life  except  from  life."  There  is  no 
life  in  the  sun  nor  in  the  rain  nor  in  the  soil;  and 
when  you  have  gotten  these  together  you  are  still 
bound  to  call  in  the  Spirit  to  brood  upon  the  inani- 
mate nest. 

/  A  little  higher  up  we  come  to  intellectual  life,  and 
here  we  meet  with  man.  The  fact  that  differentiates 
man  from  the  lower  orders  is  this:  he  can  contem- 
plate truth.  No  other  living  thing  can  do  that.  A 
man  can  formulate  an  argument;  he  can  reason 
with  another  as  I  am  now  reasoning  with  you.  He 
can,  as  Keppler  says,  "  think  God's  great  thoughts 
after  him."  Now,  between  physical  life  and  this 
intellectual  life  there  is  a  great  gulf.  How  does  in- 
tellectual life  begin?  Only  by  contact  with  the  Life 
Agent,  that  is,  the  Spirit  of  God.) 

Then  higher  still  we  come  to  spiritual  Hfe.  As 
intellectual  life  consists  in  the  possibility  of  appre- 
hending truth,  so  spiritual  life  is  in  the  apprehension 
of  holiness.  Man  was  not  holy  at  the  beginning; 
he  was  merely  innocent,  as  a  graven  image  is  free 
from  sin.  He  had  in  him  the  potency  of  holiness; 
but  when  the  ordeal  came  he  fell ;  and  all  that  was 
left  was  a  magnificent  ruin.  There  was,  however, 
still  a  possibility  of  spiritual  life  in  him. 

The  man  who  never  has  apprehended  holiness  is 
spiritually  dead.  How  can  he  come  to  life?  Only 
by  touching  the  personal  Source  of  life.  This  is 
the  meaning  of  the  vision  of  Ezekiel  in  the  Valley 
of  Dry  Bones.     He  was  bewildered  by  the  presence 

164 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

of  death  on  every  side;  and  a  voice  said,  "  Son  of 
man,  can  these  bones  hve?"  He  answered,  "O 
Lord  Jehovah,  thou  knowest."  The  voice  then 
called,  "  Come  from  the  four  winds,  O  Breath,  and 
breathe  upon  these  slain,  that  they  may  live ! " 
And  the  Breath  came,  and  the  dead  stood  upon  their 
feet,  clothed  with  flesh  and  animated,  "  an  exceeding 
great  army  "  of  living  men. 

What  is  the  practical  importance  of  this?  What 
have  we  personally  to  do  with  it?  We  want  life; 
we  must  have  this  higher  and  eternal  life,  for  which 
God  created  and  intended  us;  and  we  shall  never 
have  it  except  as  we  come  into  a  real  and  vital  ap- 
prehension of  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  Life  as 
our  Reprover,  Reminder  and  Regenerator. 

This  is  his  threefold  office. 

He  is  our  Reprover  in  this  way :  Jesus  said,  "  And 
the  Paraclete,  when  he  is  come,  will  convict  the 
world  in  respect  of  sin."  The  Spirit  of  Life  wields 
a  two-edged  sword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing 
of  soul  and  spirit,  of  both  joints  and  marrow,  and 
quick  to  discern  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the 
heart.  Whenever  we  adequately  feel  the  power 
of  sin  and  the  longing  to  escape  from  it,  we  may  be 
assured  that  this  proceeds  from  the  Spirit  of  God. 
It  is  this  that  sends  a  man  to  the  altar,  reeling  and 
staggering  like  the  publican,  crying,  "  God  be  merci- 
ful to  me  a  sinner !  "     Thus  he  reproves  us. 

He  is  also  our  Reminder .  As  Jesus  said,  "  He 
shall  take  of  mine  and  shall  declare  it  unto  you." 

165 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

And  again,  "  He  shall  bring  to  your  remembrance 
all  that  I  said  unto  you."  It  may  be  that  some  of  us 
see  no  power  in  the  Cross.  You  never  will  until 
you  yield  to  the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  without 
whom  the  Cross  is  a  stumbling-block  to  the  Jew  and 
foolishness  to  the  Greek,  while  to  him  that  believeth 
it  is  the  very  power  and  wisdom  of  God.  He  makes 
it  clear  to  the  convicted  soul  that  herein  and  hereby 
is  the  only  possible  escape  from  the  shame,  the 
power,  and  the  bondage  of  sin. 

And  He  is  our  Regenerator.  When  a  man, 
standing  at  the  altar,  beating  on  his  breast,  and  lift- 
ing his  eyes  to  the  Cross,  is  moved  to  believe,  the 
Spirit  brings  him  out  of  death  into  spiritual  life  so 
that  he  becomes  "  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus." 
This  is  the  mystery  of  which  Jesus  said  to  Nicode- 
mus,  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  except  one  be 
born  anew  " —  born  of  the  Spirit  —  "  he  cannot  see 
the  kingdom  of  God." 

What  then?  Is  this  the  end  of  the  matter?  By 
no  means ;  it  is  only  the  beginning.  A  man  who  has 
known  the  Spirit  as  his  Reprover  of  Sin,  his  Re- 
minder of  Christ  and  his  Regenerator  is  just  begin- 
ning to  live;  what  he  wants  thenceforth  is  more  life. 
It  is  the  special  function  and  the  prerogative  of  the 
Spirit  to  give  life  "  more  abundantly." 

At  this  point  he  becomes  our  Teacher,  Sanctifier 
and  Invigorator. 

As  our  Teacher  he  shows  us  the  meaning  of  spir- 
itual things.     For  spiritual  things  are  spiritually 

,i66 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

discerned ;  that  is  to  say,  they  are  discerned  through 
the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

The  Earl  of  Chatham,  being  in  the  Highlands 
once,  attended  a  village  church  where  the  preacher 
set  forth  in  a  very  profound  sermon  the  doctrine  of 
regeneration;  whereupon  the  earl  knitted  his  brows 
in  perplexity,  just  as  Nicodemus  did  who  said, 
**  How  can  these  things  be?  "  As  he  was  passing 
out  he  saw  a  peasant  woman  and,  being  curious  to 
know  what  she  thought  of  it,  he  said,  "  My  good 
woman,  this  is  a  great  mystery,  is  it  not?  "  "  My 
lord,"  she  answered,  "do  you  not  understand?" 
"  No,"  said  he,  "  I  confess  I  do  not."  "  Well,  my 
lord,  may  the  Spirit  touch  your  eyes  with  eye-salve 
that  you  may  see.     There  is  no  other  way." 

Here  is  a  man  reading  his  Bible  with  knitted 
brows.  He  cannot  understand  it.  He  longs  for 
some  interpreter  to  explain  it.  Let  him  get  down 
upon  his  knees  and  entreat  the  help  of  the  third  Per- 
son of  the  ineffable  Godhead,  one  of  whose  official 
functions  is  to  throw  light  upon  the  Word  of  God. 
The  promise  of  Christ  is,  "  He  will  guide  you  into 
all  the  truth." 

Here  is  a  Christian  living  at  a  poor  dying  rate. 
He  wishes  that  he  might  grow  more  rapidly  unto  the 
measure  of  the  fullness  of  the  stature  of  a  man. 
But  why  indulge  in  vain  wishes  ?  Let  him  get  down 
upon  his  knees  and  invoke  the  influence  of  the  Spirit, 
another  of  whose  official  functions  is  to  stimulate 
our  growth  in  grace. 

167 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Here  is  another  Christian  bowed  down  under  an 
intolerable  weight  of  sorrow.  He  cannot  under- 
stand why  Providence  has  so  afflicted  him.  But 
why  complain  when  the  way  to  comfort  is  open? 
For  here  again  we  come  upon  one  of  the  special  func- 
tions of  the  Spirit  as  the  Comforter.  The  word  in 
the  original  is  "  Paraclete,"  which  means  "  one  run- 
ning to  answer  a  cry."  He  comes  like  a  mother  to 
a  weeping  child.  It  is  for  him  to  untie  the  gordian 
knots  of  Providence  and  enable  us  to  see  that  the 
Lord  doeth  all  things  well. 

Here  is  another  Christian  who  lacks  assurance. 
He  does  not  know  whether  he  is  really  saved  or  not. 
He  worries  over  it  so  that  he  cannot  sleep.  What 
shall  he  do  ?  Let  him  get  down  upon  his  knees  and 
call  upon  the  Spirit ;  for  it  is  the  Spirit  that  "  beareth 
witness  with  our  spirit  that  we  are  children  of  God." 

And  here  is  still  another  who  feels  that  he  is  of 
little  or  no  consequence  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
He  has  no  special  abilities,  no  equipment  for  service ; 
he  is  simply  a  minimum  Christian,  and  yet  would 
fain  make  his  life  tell.  H  he  is  in  earnest,  let  him 
entreat  the  Spirit  for  a  baptism  of  fire  and  power. 
For  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  great  Energizer.  He  can 
take  the  weakest  man  and  make  a  spiritual  giant  of 
him. 

Here  is  a  Church  becalmed.  Its  pastor  is  like  a 
dead  man  at  the  helm  and  its  members  are  like  dead 
men  among  the  shrouds.  What  is  needed? 
"  Come  from  the  four  winds,  O  Breath,  and  breathe 

i68 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

upon  it!"  When  Paul  asked  the  members  of  the 
Church  at  Ephesus,  "  Did  ye  receive  the  Holy  Spirit 
when  ye  believed?"  the  answer  was,  "We  did  not 
so  much  as  hear  whether  the  Holy  Spirit  was  given." 
What  fruit  could  be  expected  of  a  vine  like  that? 
ftDf  all  the  promises  of  Scripture  there  is  none 
more  heavily  laden  with  possibilities  than  this :  "  li 
ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto 
your  children,  how  much  more  shall  your  Heavenly 
Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him?  " 
Blessed  a  fortiori!  Why  should  we  ever  be  weak 
or  go  mourning,  "  My  leanness,  O  my  leanness !  " 
when  the  infinite  Source  of  power  is  at  our  com- 
mand ?  We  are  precisely  as  strong  and  useful  as  we 
are  willing  to  be.  The  weakest  has  all  the  power  he 
is  willing  to  take.  Abundant  provision  has  been 
made  for  us. 

Come,  Holy  Spirit,  come! 


169 


Section  IX 

"The  holy  catholic  Church,  the  communion  of 
saints." 


Wild,  wild  wind,  wilt  thou  never  cease  thy  sighing? 

Dark,  dark  night,  wilt  thou  never  wear  away  ? 
Cold,  cold  church,  in  thy  death-sleep  lying. 

Thy  Lent  is  past,  thy  Passion  here,  but  not  thine 
Easter-day. 

Peace,  faint  heart,  though  the  night  be  dark  and  sigh- 
ing; 
Rest,  fair  corpse,  where  thy  Lord  himself  hath  lain ; 
Weep,  dear  Lord,  above  thy  bride  low  lying; 

Thy  tears  shall  wake  her  frozen  limbs  to  life  and 
health  again. 

—  Charles  Kingsley. 


"THE  CHURCH" 

IN  the  teaching  of  Jesus  the  Church  is  not  identi- 
fied with  the  Kingdom,  though  there  is  a  vital 
relation  between  them.  No  doubt  there  are 
names  on  the  roster  of  the  Church  which  are  not 
written  in  the  Lamb's  Book  of  Life;  and  contrari- 
wise there  are  true  Christians  outside  of  the  organ- 
ized fellowship  of  faith.  But  the  Church,  however 
imperfect,  is  the  prime  factor  in  the  solution  of  the 
problem  of  the  Kingdom.  It  is  the  great  organism 
through  which  God  is  working,  by  the  power  of  his 
Spirit,  for  the  casting  down  of  the  strongholds  of 
iniquity  and  the  establishment  of  truth  and  right- 
eousness on  earth.  As  such,  it  is  entitled  to  the  af- 
fectionate regard  and  co-operation  of  all  right- 
thinking  men. 

If  the  Church  has  not  been  ideally  efficient  in  her 
work  of  social  regeneration  all  along  the  centuries, 
it  may  be  asserted  without  fear  of  contradiction  that 
even  in  her  feeblest  moods  she  has  shown  more 
power  in  her  little  finger  than  all  other  organizations 
in  their  loins.  She  is  not  what  she  ought  to  be; 
but  by  the  grace  of  God  she  is  what  she  is. 
fXhe  Church  is  mentioned  by  the  name  ecclesia  only 
173 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

twice  in  the  teaching  of  Jesus  (Matthew  16:17-19 
and  18:15-18);  but  this  is  of  slight  significance. 
For  that  matter,  the  Incarnation  and  the  Atonement, 
the  two  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Christian  sys- 
tem, are  not  thus  named  by  Christ  at  all,  though 
they  run  through  his  teachings  like  a  twisted  cord. 
In  like  manner  he  has  much  to  say  about  the  Church 
by  implication.  He  draws  the  silhouette  clearly, 
leaving  his  apostles  to  fill  in  all  necessary  detail 
under  the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit  which  he  confers 
upon  them. 

It  will  appear,  however,  that  the  two  passages  re- 
ferred to  contain  the  sum  and  substance  of  the  whole 
matter.     They  are  multum  in  parvo,  as  we  shall  see. 

In  the  first  passage  (Matthew  16:17-19)  Christ 
stands  voucher  for  the  Church  as  his  own.  "  Upon 
this  rock  will  I  build  my  Church."  This  should  be 
a  sufficient  answer  to  those  who  speak  of  the  Church 
as  a  human  institution.  Our  Lord  owns,  approves, 
and  champions  it, '  Elsewhere  to  the  same  effect  the 
Church  is  set  forth  as  his  bride  (Revelation  19:6— 
8)  :  and  again  as  his  household  (Ephesians  2:19)  : 
and  again  as  his  body  (Ephesians  i  :22,  23). 

The  Church  is  here  characterized  as  a  Building. 
"  Upon  this  rock  will  I  huild  my  Church."  This 
should  be  observed  by  those  who  say  that  our  Lord 
"  took  no  steps  to  organize  his  disciples  into  a  for- 
mally constituted  society."  It  is  asserted,  on  the 
contrary,  that  history  has  never  shown  an  organiza- 
tion so  ideally  constituted.     It  was  not  thrown  to- 

174 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

gether  at  random  but   put  together  by  a   divine 
Architect  after  a  symmetrical  plan. 

The  Cornerstone  is  Christ.  "  Upon  this  rock  will 
I  build  my  Church."  Long  campaigns  of  contro- 
versy have  been  waged  as  to  the  meaning  of  those 
words.  The  question  is,  What  is  this  rock?  The 
Romanists  say,  "  It  is  Peter  " ;  but  Christ  did  not 
say  so.  His  statement  was,  "  Thou  art  Petros,  and 
on  this  petra  I  will  build  my  Church."  The  words 
are  cognate  but  not  identical ;  the  former  is  mascu- 
Hne  and  the  latter  feminine ;  petra  is  a  rock ;  Petros 
is  a  stone,  hewn  out  of  the  rock.  At  the  time  when 
our  Lord  said  this,  he  was  pursuing  his  journey 
through  Caesarea-Philippi,  his  face  set  steadfastly 
toward  the  Cross.  He  greatly  desired  his  disciples 
to  be  informed  as  to  his  divine  character  and  mis- 
sion ;  but  thus  far  they  had  not  been  able  to  bear  it. 
He  was  now  moved  to  inquire,  "  Who  do  men  say 
that  the  Son  of  Man  is?  "  To  this  they  gave  vari- 
ous answers.  "  But  who  say  ye  that  I  am  ?  "  Then 
Peter  witnessed  his  good  confession:  "Thou  art 
the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God !  "  Where- 
upon Jesus  said,  "  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon,  son  of 
John :  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto 
thee."  And  then  and  there  he  renamed  him  Peter, 
"  Son  of  the  Rock,"  in  recognition  of  his  valorous 
words.  That  good  confession,  "  Thou  art  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,"  was  indeed  the 
mightiest  of  all  truths  and  worthy  to  be  the  founda- 
tion of  the  Church. 

175 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Here  is  the  seal  of  legitimacy  among  the  various 
denominations;  that  is,  the  headship  of  Christ,  "  Son 
of  the  living  God."  The  Romanists  say,  Ubi  ekkle- 
sia,  ibi  Christos;  that  is,  "  Where  the  Church  is, 
there  is  Christ ; "  but  precisely  the  reverse  is  true : 
Where  Christ  is,  there  is  the  Church. 

As  to  the  Superstructure  of  the  Church.  It  is  a 
stone  building.  Here  is  the  order:  Christ,  the  cor- 
nerstone; then  the  apostolic  company  as  the  stone 
foundation;  then  the  ever-increasing  multitude  of 
believers  as  stones  in  the  wall.  Thus  Paul  says, 
"  Being  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles 
and  prophets,  Christ  Jesus  himself  being  the  chief 
cornerstone;  in  whom  each  several  building,  fitly 
framed  together,  groweth  into  a  holy  temple  in  the 
Lord;  in  whom  ye  also  are  builded  together." 
(Ephesians  2:20—22.) 

The  new  beginning  was  when  our  Lord  gathered 
around  him  a  little  company  of  disciples  in  the  upper 
room.  In  his  sacerdotal  prayer  he  said,  "  I  pray  for 
them :  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  those  whom 
thou  hast  given  me."  (John  17:9.)  Later,  in  the 
same  prayer,  he  said,  "  Neither  for  these  only  do  I 
pray,  but  for  them  also  that  believe  on  me  through 
their  word ;  that  they  may  all  be  one ;  even  as  thou, 
Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may 
be  in  us :  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  didst 
send  me."  (John  17:20,  21.)  He  was  looking  be- 
yond the  Cross;  he  saw  an  innumerable  procession 
passing  down  the  ages,   the  multitude  of  the  re- 

176 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

deemed,  who  were  given  him  by  the  Father  as  the 
fruit  of  the  travail  of  his  soul. 

As  to  the  Equipment  of  the  Church.  In  order  to 
the  accomplishment  of  its  great  purpose,  to  wit,  the 
setting  up  of  a  Kingdom  of  truth  and  righteousness, 
the  building  must  be  filled  with  vitalized  machinery. 
To  this  end  our  Lord  breathed  on  his  disciples,  say- 
ing, "  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Spirit " ;  and  thereupon 
the  Church  became  the  antitype  of  Ezekiel's  vision 
of  the  wheels :  wheels  within  wheels,  wheels  full  of 
eyes;  and  within  the  wheels  a  Spirit;  and  "  whither 
the  Spirit  was  to  go  they  went." 

Thus  the  Church  was  endowed  with  life.  As 
Peter  says,  "Ye  also  as  living  stones  are  built 
up  a  spiritual  house."  (I  Peter  2  :5.)  Wonderful 
stones,  each  with  a  throbbing  heart,  each  from  its 
place  in  the  wall  stretching  out  eager  hands  of  help- 
fulness, each  with  a  voice  to  sing,  "  Blest  be  the  tie 
that  binds  our  hearts  in  Christian  love !  " 

Moreover,  the  Church,  under  the  power  of  the 
Spirit,  becomes  the  depository  of  truth.  It  is  called 
"  the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth  "  (I  Timothy 
3:15);  which  means  that  it  is  the  intermediary 
source  of  authority  as  to  the  great  verities  of  the 
eternal  life.  Tit  is  customary  to  speak  of  a  threefold 
authority  in  these  premises:  the  inner  conscience, 
which  may  err,  but  never  when  controlled  by  the 
Spirit;  the  Church,  which  also  may  go  wrong,  but 
never  when  controlled  by  the  Spirit ;  and  the  Scrip- 
tures, which  are  always  true  and  ultimate,  though 

177 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

they  also  must  be  interpreted  by  the  Spirit  of  God.j 

Our  Lord  gives,  also,  in  this  equipment  of  the 
Church  a  peculiar  power  in  prayer.  The  fervent 
effectual  prayer  of  one  righteous  man  availeth 
much;  much  more  the  united  prayers  of  the  Church. 
Jesus  said,  "If  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth  as 
touching  anything  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be 
done  for  them  of  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven,  for 
where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my 
name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them."  (Matthew 
18:19.)  Here  we  have  the  charter  of  public  wor- 
ship. 

The  Church  is,  still  further,  endued  with  power 
for  service.  Our  Lord  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Tarry 
ye  in  the  city  until  ye  be  clothed  with  power  from  on 
high."  (Luke  24:49.)  And  there  they  tarried 
until,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  the  Spirit  came  upon 
them  with  "  a  sound  as  of  the  rushing  of  a  mighty 
wind " ;  and,  thus  invigorated,  they  went  forth  to 
the  conquest  of  the  world.  The  Church  is  impo- 
tent without  this  dynamic  baptism.  Its  success 
through  the  centuries  has  ever  been  measured  by  its 
willingness  to  receive  it. 

In  our  Lord's  second  reference  to  the  Church  he 
confers  the  power  of  "  binding  and  loosing."  This, 
as  plainly  appears  from  the  context,  has  reference  to 
rules  of  order  and  discipline  (Matthew  18:15-18). 

The  Jews  had  a  proverb,  "  Shammai  bindeth  and 
Hillel  looseth  " ;  which  is  to  be  interpreted  by  the 
historic  difference  of  those  teachers  as  to  questions 

178 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

of  order.  Josephus  says,  "  The  Pharisees  have 
power  to  bind  and  loose  at  will."  We  note  an  exer- 
cise of  this  authority  by  the  Apostles  in  the  Council 
at  Jerusalem  (Acts  15).  A  like  authority  in  the 
matter  of  discipline  was  illustrated  in  the  case  of  the 
offender  at  Corinth  who  was  excommunicated  to  the 
end  that  he  might  be  reclaimed  (I  Corinthians  5). 
This  man  was  probably  of  good  social  position;  and 
for  that  reason  his  offence  was  winked  at;  but  the 
Corinthian  Church  was  enjoined  to  deal  judicially 
with  him.  He  was  to  be  bound  in  order  that  he 
might  be  loosed.  It  would  be  well  for  all  concerned 
if  there  were  a  more  frequent  exercise  of  this  power 
in  the  Church  of  to-day. 

The  "power  of  the  keys"  was  conferred  upon 
Peter  as  a  reward  of  his  good  confession  (Matthew 
16:19). 

The  keys  referred  to  were  not  those  of  the  Celes- 
tial City.  The  picture  of  Peter  sitting  as  a  ticket- 
taker  at  its  gate  is  a  ludicrous  perversion  of  the 
truth.  There  are  no  keys  of  heaven.  Its  twelve 
gates  are  never  closed.  The  souls  that  wander  in 
eternal  darkness  are  free  to  enter  if  they  will;  but, 
alas!  their  characters  are  so  fixed  that  they  cannot 
because  they  will  not. 

As  a  reward  for  his  loyalty  to  the  fundamental 
doctrine  of  the  Lordship  of  Christ,  Peter  was  com- 
missioned to  throw  open  the  doors  of  the  visible 
Church  to  the  Gentiles.  This  was  done  on  the  day 
of   Pentecost.     Previously,   the  Jews   alone,  as  a 

179 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

chosen  people,  had  been  included  in  the  charmed  cir- 
cle ;  but  on  that  day,  when  the  influence  of  the  Holy- 
Ghost  came  down  on  the  assembled  company,  the 
middle  wall  of  partition  was  thrown  down.  In  an- 
swer to  the  cry,  "Brethren,  what  shall  we  do?" 
Peter,  as  spokesman  of  the  Church,  said,  "  Repent 
ye,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ  unto  the  remission  of  your  sins.  .  .  . 
For  to  you  is  the  promise  and  to  your  children,  and 
to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord 
our  God  shall  call  unto  him."  Thus  the  keys  were 
turned  and  the  gates  rolled  back  to  admit  not  Jews 
alone  but  all  the  penitent  and  believing  children  of 
men. 

It  is  obvious  that  in  this  matter  Peter  stood  soli- 
tary and  alone.  To  speak  of  his  "  successors " 
would  be  as  presumptuous  as  to  make  a  similar  claim 
with  respect  to  Columbus  in  his  discovery  of  Amer- 
ica. The  doors  being  opened  once  for  all,  there  was 
no  further  need  of  those  keys. 

A  word  now  as  to  the  pozver  of  absolution  which 
our  Lord  conferred  upon  the  Church  in  the  words, 
**  Whose  soever  sins  ye  forgive,  they  are  forgiven 
unto  them;  whose  soever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are  re- 
tained." (John  20:23.)  Let  it  be  observed  that 
this  authority  was  bestowed  not  upon  Peter  only 
with  his  fellow-apostles,  but  upon  a  considerable 
company  of  other  believers  who  were  gathered  in 
the  upper  room;  so  that  whatever  this  power  of  ab- 
solution may  mean,  it  is  vested  in  all  believers  alike, 

180 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

It  does  not  mean  judicial  or  plenary  absolution; 
for  "  who  can  forgive  sins  but  God  alone  ?  "  But 
there  is  a  declaratory  absolution  which  lies  within 
the  province  of  all  true  followers  of  Christ,  i  Jesus 
said,  *  As  the  Father  hath  sent  me,  even  so  send  I 
you."  What  for?  He  was  sent  to  deliver  the 
world  from  sin,  by  the  virtue  of  his  great  sacrifice. 
We  are  sent,  in  like  manner,  to  point  the  nations  to 
the  Cross.  The  true  absolution  is  by  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ,  and  it  is  for  us  to  declare  it,  saying,  "  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God !  " 

And  this  proclamation  is  ratified  in  heaven.  The 
humblest  of  Christians  is  commissioned  to  say,  "  He 
that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  eternal  life;  but  he 
that  obeyeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the 
wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him  " ;  that  is,  sins  are  re- 
mitted or  retained  on  condition  of  acceptance  or  re- 
jection of  Christ  crucified.  Here  is  our  great  privi- 
lege; here  also  is  our  great  responsibility,  since  we 
may  retain  the  sins  of  the  impenitent  upon  them  by 
our  neglect  to  warn  them  of  the  wrath  to  come;  as  it 
is  written,  "  When  I  say  unto  the  wicked.  Thou  shalt 
surely  die,  and  thou  givest  him  not  warning,  .  .  . 
he  shall  die  in  his  iniquity;  but  his  blood  will  I  re- 
quire at  thy  hand."  Thus  we  are,  in  a  sense,  re- 
sponsible for  the  destinies  of  our  fellow-men. 

Out  of  this  general  equipment  of  the  Church  flows 
logically  and  necessarily  the  Great  Commission: 
"  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  " ; 
that  is,  go  and  proclaim  absolution  for  all  who  will 

i8i 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

receive  it ;  and  the  promise  is :  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you 
always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  The 
Church  thus  equipped  and  endowed  shall  be  immor- 
tal till  its  work  is  done.  "  The  gates  of  hell  shall 
not  prevail  against  it." 

But  the  Church  is  not  to  endure  forever;  only 
until  its  work  is  done.  There  will  be  no  further  use 
for  its  vitalized  machinery  when  the  Kingdom  is  es- 
tablished on  earth;  that  is,  when  every  knee  shall 
bow  and  every  tongue  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
Lord.  The  Church  and  the  Kingdom  will  then  be 
identical.  The  holy  city,  New  Jerusalem,  will  come 
"  down  out  of  heaven  from  God,  made  ready  as  a 
bride  adorned  for  her  husband  " ;  and  a  great  voice 
will  be  heard,  saying,  "  Behold,  the  tabernacle  of 
God  is  with  men,  and  he  shall  dwell  with  them,  and 
they  shall  be  his  peoples,  and  God  himself  shall  be 
with  them  and  be  their  God."     (Revelation  21:2, 

3.) 

Meanwhile  the  Church  stands,  in  pursuance  of  her 

Lord's  promise,  as  the  great  miracle  of  the  ages. 
She  has  done  her  work  imperfectly,  bowing  often- 
times at  false  shrines,  untrue  to  her  espousal  vows ; 
yet  she  has  continued  to  live  because  she  had  an  ap- 
pointed work  to  do.  Notwithstanding  her  imper- 
fections of  character  and  vacillation  of  purpose,  hers 
has  been  the  one  transforming  influence  through 
the  history  of  the  ages.  Like  Milton's  angel  of  the 
morning,  she  has  carried  a  torch  that  has  illuminated 
the  darkness  all  along  her  way.     And  her  power  is 

182 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

as  the  power  of  an  invincible  army  to-day;  naught 
can  avail  against  her.  The  temple  which  our  Lord 
established  upon  the  rock  of  his  sovereign  Messiah- 
ship  rises  like  the  House  Magnifical,  "  without  the 
sound  of  hammer  or  of  ax  " ;  and  will  continue  to 
rise,  stone  upon  stone,  until  the  top-stone  is  laid 
with  shoutings  of  "Grace,  grace  unto  it!"  Then 
the  Glory  of  the  Lord  will  fill  the  house  as  the  She- 
kinah  filled  the  Temple  of  the  olden  time;  for  the 
Church  is  divinely  destined  to  be  a  Temple  ultimately 
fit  for  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 


183 


"HOLY" 

WHAT  is  holiness  ?  On  tiie  negative  side  it 
is  cleanness,  or  entire  freedom  from  sin. 
This  means  more  than  a  profession  of  re- 
ligion, more  than  any  formal  orthodoxy  which  con- 
sists in  a  mere  intellectual  apprehension  of  spiritual 
things,  more  than  so-called  morality  or  outward  con- 
formity to  the  moral  law. 

fThe  hoHness  enjoined  upon  us  is  a  through-and- 
through  holiness.  It  was  well  defined  by  a  boy  in 
one  of  the  ragged  schools  of  Ireland  who,  when 
asked  by  the  visiting  priest,  "What  is  holiness?" 
answered,  "  It  is  to  be  clean  inside."  It  is  to  have  a 
clean  heart,  a  clean  mind,  a  clean  conscience,  and 
a  clean  will. 

But  this  is  merely  the  negative  side  of  it.  To 
be  innocent  is  not  enough.  A  graven  image  is  free 
from  sin.  In  addition  to  this  we  are  required  to  be 
positively  holy;  that  is,  to  put  on  all  the  attributes 
which  enter  into  a  character  conformed  to  the  Hke- 
ness  of  God.  In  the  rainbow  which  overarches  his 
throne  are  all  the  colors  of  the  solar  spectrum  which, 
when  passed  through  a  prism,  are  resolved  into  the 
white  solar  ray.  Thus  the  divine  attributes  are 
summed  up  in  holiness.     Can  a  mortal  man  be  ex- 

184 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

pected  to  conform  to  such  perfection?  A  drop  of 
rain  reflects  the  rainbow  as  perfectly  as  does  the 
surface  of  the  broad  sea.  So  up  to  the  full  meas- 
ure of  our  being  we  may  reflect  the  holiness  of  God. 

But  where  is  the  man  who  ever  did  so?  If  it  be 
true  that  there  are  no  sinners  in  heaven,  it  is  equally 
true  that  there  are  no  saints  on  earth :  "  For  there 
is  no  distinction;  for  all  have  sinned  and  fall  short 
of  the  glory  of  God."' 

It  is  a  mistake  to  regard  the  Church  as  an  associ- 
ation of  good  people.  If  this  were  so,  no  true 
Christian  would  be  associated  with  it ;  because  a  true 
Christian  does  not  claim  to  be  good,  but  only  trying 
to  be. 

In  point  of  fact  the  people  who  profess  to  be  good 
are  all  outside  of  the  Church,  lifting  their  eyebrows 
and  pointing  their  fingers  at  inconsistent  Christians. 
These  moralists  profess  to  be  so  good  that  they 
really  need  no  help  from  any  association  of  praying, 
struggling  souls.  They  can  stand  alone,  as  super- 
men, asking  no  odds  of  God  or  Christ  or  their  fel- 
low-men. 

One  of  the  reasons  why  Christians  enter  the 
Church  is  because,  conscious  of  their  infirmities, 
they  feel  the  need  of  sympathy  and  mutual  inter- 
cession. They  do  not  profess  *'  to  have  already  ob- 
tained," or  that  they  are  "  already  made  perfect," 
but,  with  much  erring  and  stumbling,  they  "  press 
on  toward  the  goal  unto  the  prize  of  the  high  call- 
ing of  God  in  Christ  Jesus." 

185 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

This  "  high  calling  "  is  to  holiness,  which  is  the 
goal  of  the  Christian  life.  For  the  attainment  of 
this  goal  the  Church  provides  many  important  helps. 

I.  A  Creed.  The  Church  is  called  "  the  Pillar 
and  Ground  of  Truth  " ;  because  it  is  the  depository 
of  the  Scriptures,  which  are  the  inspired  and  there- 
fore trustworthy  Word  of  God.  "  Every  Scripture 
inspired  of  God  is  also  profitable  for  teaching,  for 
reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  which  is 
in  righteousness ;  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  com- 
plete, furnished  completely  unto  every  good  work." 

A  consistent  member  of  the  Church  regards  the 
Bible,  authenticated  by  Christ's  teaching  with  re- 
spect to  it,  as  the  Court  of  Final  Appeal  in  all  prob- 
lems respecting  the  eternal  life. 

II.  A  Moral  Code,  or  rule  of  conduct.  This  is 
contained  in  the  Ten  Commandments  and  the  Ser- 
mon on  the  Mount ;  which  are  universally  conceded 
to  be  the  two  faultless  ethical  symbols.  In  these 
we  have  a  perfect  monograph  of  holiness,  or 
"  wholeness,"  as  a  combination  of  all  the  graces 
which  combine  to  form  character.  The  Sermon  on 
the  Mount  is  an  exposition  of  the  Ten  Command- 
ments so  searching,  so  far  reaching,  so  severe  in  its 
analysis  of  morality  that  it  is  like  a  two-edged 
sword,  dividing  asunder  the  very  soul  and  spirit  of 
a  man. 

III.  A  Commission:  to  wit,  "  Seek  ye  first  his 
Kingdom  and  his  righteousness,  and  all  these  things 
shall  be  added  unto  you." 

i86 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

The  right-living  man  is  a  busy  man.  His  busi- 
ness is  busy-ness.     But  business  is  of  two  kinds. 

There  is  a  transient  sort  of  business  which  has  to 
do  exclusively  with  the  here  and  now.  It  puts  the 
emphasis  on  the  acquisition  of  wealth  or  on  the 
pursuit  of  pleasure  or  on  the  emoluments  of  this 
world.  Is  this  sort  of  business  worth  while?  Our 
Lord  did  not  belittle  the  importance  of  earning  a 
livelihood  or  of  gaining  a  competence  or  of  acquir-. 
ing  legitimate  honors ;  but  these  were  to  him  mere  in- 
cidentals. Alas  that  men  should  so  often,  by  over- 
estimating them,  be  sidetracked  on  the  highway  of 
life!  There  is  nothing  more  lamentable  than  for 
one  to  spend  his  life  in  pleasure  or  to  devote  his 
energies  to  the  getting  of  a  million,  and  die  with 
nothing  to  show  for  it. 

But  the  business  of  the  Kingdom  —  that  is  worth 
a  man's  while !  When  Jesus  said,  "  Seek  ye  first  his 
Kingdom,"  he  meant  precisely  that  we  are  to  put  the 
Kingdom  first,  remanding  all  other  employment 
whatsoever  to  a  subordinate  place.  His  service, 
which  is  the  setting  up  of  his  Kingdom  in  this  world, 
is  to  be  always  first  and  foremost.  To  put  it  any- 
where else  is  to  fall  short  of  the  best  possibilities  of 
Hfe. 

VThese  then  —  a  Creed,  a  Moral  Code,  and  a  Com- 
mission —  are  the  three  helps  which  the  Church  af- 
fords toward  the  attainment  of  that  holiness  with- 
out which  no  man  can  ever  see  God.i 

It  must  be  reiterated,  however,  that  while  the 
187 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Church  is  designed  to  be  the  radiating  center  and 
power-house  of  hoHness,  no  church  member  has  at- 
tained unto  holiness  but  is  only  striving  that  way. 

In  the  second  century  the  satirist  Celsus  assailed 
the  Church  as  an  assembly  of  reprobates.  He  said, 
"  I  have  seen  in  your  conferences  some  who  are  rec- 
ognized as  drabs  and  drunkards  and  thieves.  You 
have  none  of  the  richer  and  more  learned  class. 
Your  Master  himself,  who  was  a  humble  carpenter, 
is  in  evidence  as  to  the  character  of  his  followers, 
inasmuch  as  he  said,  *  I  am  come  not  to  call  the 
righteous  but  sinners.'  "  Origen  answered  him  on 
this  wise,  "  You  are  right  in  saying  that  our  Lord 
came  not  to  call  the  righteous  but  sinners,  but  you 
are  unfair  when  you  pause  there.  His  words  were, 
*  I  am  come  to  call  not  the  righteous  but  sinners  to 
repentance.'  The  former  profligates  whom  you 
have  seen  in  our  assemblies  were  taken  by  our  Mas- 
ter out  of  the  very  gutters  and  transformed  into 
newness  of  life.  He  called  them  to  contrition  and 
reformation;  and  their  improved  walk  and  conver- 
sation are  a  testimony  to  his  saving  grace." 

'  This  is  the  glory  of  the  gospel,  that  it  goes  out 
into  the  highways  and  hedges  in  quest  of  lost  sinners 
and  sets  them  on  their  feet,  with  the  past  forgiven 
and  the  future  glorified,  with  hearts  full  of  peace 
and  faces  toward  the  sky.  This  is  the  factor  in 
the  gospel  that,  as  Alexander  Pope  said,  makes  a 
Christian  "  the  highest  style  of  man." 

In  the  necessity  of  the  case,  religion  has  its  out- 
i88 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

ward  forms.  It  has  shrines,  altars  and  liturgies, 
rites  and  ceremonies,  Sabbaths  and  fast  days. 
These  are  important;  but  the  emphasis  is  not  there. 
Just  here  is  where  the  Jews  made  their  mistake  in 
the  time  of  Isaiah:  "What  unto  me  is  the  multi- 
tude of  your  sacrifices?  saith  Jehovah:  I  have  had 
enough  of  the  burnt-offerings  of  rams  and  the  fat 
of  fed  beasts.  .  .  .  Wash  you,  make  you  clean;  put 
away  the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before  mine  eyes; 
cease  to  evil;  learn  to  do  well." 

The  passage  of  eight  centuries  of  discipline  and 
divine  remonstrance  did  not  correct  this  formalism. 
When  Christ  came  he  found  the  Pharisees  —  who 
^were  the  religious  leaders  and  best  church-members 
of  their  time  —  still  placing  the  emphasis  on  out- 
ward form  at  the  expense  of  inward  grace.  "  Woe 
unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  ye 
tithe  mint  and  anise  and  cummin,  and  have  left 
undone  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law !  .  .  . 
These  ye  ought  to  have  done,  and  not  to  have  left 
the  other  undone."  He  reproved  them  for  making 
long  prayers  in  the  synagogues  and  at  the  corners 
of  the  streets  to  be  seen  of  men;  and  for  casting  their 
offerings  with  a  great  flourish  into  the  brazen  mouth 
of  Corban  that  they  might  have  glory  of  men.  And 
to  his  disciples  he  said,  "  Except  your  righteousness 
shall  exceed  the  righteousness  of  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  ye  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven."  Observe  the  word  "  exceed." 
He  does  not  say  that  the  Pharisees  were  to  be  blamed 

189 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

for  paying  due  regard  to  devotional  forms,  but  only 
for  pausing  there.  The  forms  had  their  uses,  but 
merely  as  indicating  the  inward  grace  of  holiness; 
and  unfortunately  these  Pharisees  were  without  it. 

I  have  never  known  a  saint,  but  I  have  known 
many  strugglers,  "  stretching  forth  imto  the  things 
which  are  before."  For  such  the  end  is  sure.  The 
seed-corn  always  ripens  in  God's  field,  but  in  the 
fullness  of  time.  "  He  that  believeth  shall  not  be 
in  haste."  The  patient,  hopeful,  ever-striving 
Christian  will  find  the  King's  chamberlain  awaiting 
him  at  the  gateway  of  the  Holy  City ;  from  whom  he 
will  receive  "  the  fine  linen,  clean  and  white,  which 
is  the  righteousness  of  saints." 

Our  subject  is  an  intensely  practical  one.  It  has 
to  do  distinctly  with  the  responsibilities  of  our  pres- 
ent life.  The  joy  of  living  is  in  aiming  high.  The 
dignity  of  manhood  is  in  lofty  ideals.  It  is  related 
that  when  the  high-priest  Jaddua  came  out  of  Jeru- 
salem to  meet  Alexander,  whose  army  was  besieging 
the  city,  he  wore  a  miter  on  which  was  inscribed 
"  Holiness  unto  the  Lord,"  which  shone  so  bright 
that  Alexander  and  his  guard  fell  prostrate.  A  fa- 
ble, do  you  say?  Nay,  I  have  seen  such  power  in 
many  a  Christian  life.j 

I  knew  an  old  man  once  who  habitually  sat  in 
the  chimney-corner  with  the  Bible  on  his  knee.  The 
light  of  heaven  was  on  his  face  and  the  glory  of 
God  shone  in  his  eyes.  With  the  help  of  an  un- 
trembling  faith,  like  a  lantern  in  hand,  he  had  trav- 

190 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

ersed  deep  valleys  of  pain  and  sorrow  and  adversity 
on  his  way  toward  the  Heavenly  City,  Oh,  no ;  ho- 
liness is  no  dream!  It  is  no  "  baseless  fabric  of  a 
vision,"  but  a  splendid  possibility  put  before  us  by 
the  gracious  Father  of  us  all. 


191 


"CATHOLIC" 

THE  word  means  world-wide  or  universal. 
I.  The  Church  is  catholic  in  its  intent. 
The  Cross,  which  stands  at  its  center, 
throws  a  luminous  shadow  toward  the  four  points 
of  the  compass  and  unto  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth.  It  is  written  of  Christ  that  "  he  tasted  of 
death  for  every  man,"  which  makes  every  man  sal- 
vable;  and  he  himself  said,  "I,  if  I  be  lifted  up 
from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me." 

II.  The  Church,  like  the  gospel  it  stands  for,  is 
universal  in  its  adaptation  to  the  spiritual  needs  of 
all  sorts  and  -conditions  of  men.  Its  essential 
truths,  i.e.,  those  which  are  necessary  to  salvation, 
are  so  simple  that  all  can  understand  them.  Our 
Lord  emphasized  this  fact  when  he  took  a  child 
upon  his  knee  and  said,  "  Except  ye  turn,  and  be- 
come as  little  children  "  (in  your  attitude  of  recep- 
tivity as  to  truth  and  of  obedience  as  to  righteous- 
ness), "ye  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven." 

III.  The  Church  has  a  world-wide  invitation  to 
extend  to  all  who  sincerely  desire  to  get  right  with 
God.  Its  great  word  is  zvhosoever ;  as  it  is  written, 
"  The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say.  Come.     And  he  that 

192 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

heareth,  let  him  say,  Come.  And  he  that  is  athirst 
let  him  come:  he  that  will,  let  him  take  the  water 
of  life  freely." 

The  Church  points  to  an  open  door  —  but  to  one 
door  only  —  into  the  kingdom ;  as  Jesus  said,  "  I  am 
the  door,  ...  I  am  the  way:  no  one  cometh  unto 
the  Father  but  by  me."  It  makes  this  door  wide 
enough  for  all  sinners  who  feel  their  need  of  sal- 
vation, and  too  narrow  for  any  others.  It  extends 
a  universal  welcome  in  the  words  of  its  Master, 
"  Him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
out." 

IV.  The  Church  aims  at  nothing  less  than  uni- 
versal conquest.     It  advances  with  the  song: 

"  Jesus  shall  reign  where'er  the  sun 
Doth  his  successive  journeys  run; 
His  Kingdom  spread  from  shore  to  shore, 
Till  moons  shall  wax  and  wane  no  more." 

It  is  a  militant  body,  in  the  necessity  of  the  case; 
exclusive  in  its  claims  and  inclusive  in  its  vast  am- 
bition. It  is  true  to  its  divine  franchise  only  so 
far  as  it  is  obedient  to  its  divine  commission,  "  Go 
ye^Jnto  all  the  world  and  evangelize." 

■The  Church  to-day  is  suffering  from  an  atrophy 
of  its  militant  nerve.  The  lost  note  in  its  ecclesi- 
astical program  is  Evangelism.  There  must  be  a 
return  to  the  plan  divinely  marked  out.  A  new 
Reformation  is  called  for,  a  marshaling  of  the  pro- 
fessed followers  of  Christ  in  a  crusade  for  souls. 

193 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

Back  to  the  way  of  which  the  Master  spoke,  "  As 
the  Father  hath  sent  me,  so  send  I  you!  "  Back  to 
the  business  in  hand,  which  is  "  to  seek  and  save." 

Nothing  else  will  answer.  All  other  service  is 
incidental  to  this.  To  reject  it  for  "  social  service  " 
or  any  other  form  of  service  is  as  if  an  errand  boy, 
who  had  been  sent  to  carry  a  prescription  to  a  death- 
bed, should  turn  aside  from  his  vital  errand  to  pluck 
a  splinter  from  a  playmate's  hand.  The  Voice  was 
never  more  clearly  heard  than  now,  "  This  is  the 
way:  walk  ye  in  it!  " 

There  are  those  who  hold  apparently  that  Christ 
had  no  higher  purpose  than  to  make  this  world  a 
better  place  to  live  in ;  wherefore  he  fed  the  hungry, 
healed  the  sick,  and  devoted  himself  to  the  better- 
ment of  social  conditions  generally.  In  other  words, 
he  treated  man  as  if  he  were  an  animal  to  be 
groomed  for  a  day's  work;  as  if  "  victuals  and  drink 
were  the  whole  of  his  diet." 

iBut  what  does  Christ  himself  say  about  his  mis- 
sion ?  He  declares  that  he  came  "  to  seek  and  to 
save  the  lost."  He  says,  "  I  came  that  they  may 
have  life,  and  may  have  it  abundantly."  What  did 
he  mean  by  life?  Surely  not  the  hand-breadth  of 
time  which  we  are  living  here  and  now.  To  him 
man  was  more  than  "  a  stomach  and  its  appur- 
tenances." He  treated  man  as  a  child  of  God,  with 
God's  breath  in  him,  and  therefore  destined  to  live 
for  ever. 

It  is  true  he  did  not  minimize  the  ministries  of  the 
194 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

present  life.  He  relieved  men  of  their  distresses 
and  healed  their  sicknesses;  but  that  was  always 
subordinate  to  his  greater  work.  The  emphasis  was 
consistently  placed  on  the  eternal  interests  of  men. 
"  The  life,"  he  said,  "  is  more  than  the  food,  and 
the  body  than  the  raiment."  He  pressed  hard  on 
the  importance  of  other- worldliness  as  against  world- 
liness.  His  great  question  was,  "What  doth  it 
profit  a  man  to  gain  the  whole  world  and  forfeit 
his  life?"  What  are  health  and  happiness  and 
wealth  and  all  the  world's  emoluments  in  compari- 
son with  the  endless  life? 

His  mission  was  to  make  it  possible  for  men  to  at- 
tain to  that  high  destiny ;  and  this  he  did  by  dying 
vicariously  for  them,  in  expiation  of  their  sins,  so 
that  whosoever  would  believe  in  him  should  not  per- 
ish but  have  eternal  life. 

And  he  speaks  no  less  definitely  as  to  the  mission 
of  his  Church :  "  As  the  Father  sent  me,  so  send 
I  you  " ;  that  is,  to  seek  and  to  save  those  who  are 
lost  in  sin.  And  this  salvation  is  not  to  be  accom- 
plished by  social  service;  but  by  the  preaching  of  the 
evangel ;  to  wit :  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son 
hath  eternal  life;  but  he  that  obeyeth  not  the  Son 
shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on 
him." 

What  is  the  result  of  all  this?  Time  was  when 
preachers  everywhere  called  from  their  pulpits, 
"  Come  to  Jesus !  "  In  some  quarters  it  is  gravely 
announced  that  the  time  has  passed  by  for  that  sort 

195 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

of  appeal.  And  wherever  that  sentiment  prevails 
there  is  a  spiritual  famine.  Conversions  are  appar- 
ently not  desired.  The  only  gospel  that  is  preached 
in  such  quarters  is  the  fractional  gospel :  "  As  we 
have  opportunity,  let  us  work  that  which  is  good  to- 
ward all  men." 

i  It  is  as  if  one  were  to  say,  "  Give  a  man  a  square 
meal,  a  good  suit  of  clothes,  a  tight  roof  over  his 
head,  better  wages  for  his  work,  a  favorable  envi- 
ronment, a  competence  for  threescore  years  and  an 
old-age  pension,  and  what  more  is  to  be  desired  ?  " 
This  is  to  send  him  out  into  eternity  with  no  pro- 
vision for  his  journey  and  no  preparation  for  the 
everlasting  aeons  before  him.  I  say  this  is  not  real 
philanthropy.  Certainly  it  is  not  Christianity.  It 
is  the  teaching  of  the  god  of  this  world  and  not  of 
the  Saviour,  who  came  distinctly  to  equip  men  for 
eternal  life.  1 

The  Church  must  cease  to  be  at  cross  purposes 
with  Christ.  When  it  consents  to  follow  him  wholly 
it  will  have  no  more  occasion  to  complain  of  leanness 
and  barrenness.  When  the  Church  gets  right  with 
her  Lord  and  is  "  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power," 
the  promise  will  be  fulfilled,  "  For  a  small  moment 
have  I  forsaken  thee;  but  with  great  mercies  will  I 
gather  thee."  Then  shall  souls  spring  up  like  wil- 
lows by  the  water  courses  and  God's  word  shall  not 
return  unto  him  void,  but  shall  accomplish  its  work 
in  turning  the  hearts  of  men  to  their  Redeemer. 
"  The  mountains  and  the  hills  shall  break  forth  into 

196 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

singing;  and  all  the  trees  of  the  field  shall  clap  their 
hands.  Instead  of  the  thorn  shall  come  up  the  fir- 
tree,  and  instead  of  the  brier  shall  come  up  the  myr- 
tle-tree ;  and  it  shall  be  to  Jehovah  for  a  name,  for 
an  everlasting  sign  that  shall  not  be  cut  off." 


197 


"THE  COMMUNION  OF  SAINTS" 

THERE  is  only  one  Church  in  the  world.  It 
had  its  beginning  at  the  gate  of  Paradise 
when  the  first  sinner  received  the  original 
promise  of  the  salvation  of  Christ,  who,  as  the  Seed 
of  woman,  was  to  come  in  the  fullness  of  time  to 
bruise  the  serpent's  head  and  deliver  the  world  from 
sin. 

The  Church  is  constituted  of  all  living  and  trans- 
lated sinners  who  have  ever  believed  in  Christ  from 
the  beginning  until  now.  This  is  the  Communion 
of  Saints.  Under  the  Old  Economy  it  was  made 
up  of  those  who  were  looking  forward  to  the  Mes- 
siah; under  the  New  of  those  who  have  been  look- 
ing back  to  him. 

In  this  great  fellowship  there  has  never  been  a 
schism.  There  have  been  differences  of  opinion 
on  minor  points,  but  nothing  to  affect  the  vital  rela- 
tion of  Christians  to  Christ  as  the  author  and  finisher 
of  their  faith. 

I.  To  begin  with,  the  various  bodies  or  "  denom- 
inations "of  true  believers  are  animated  by  a  com- 
mon life.  Christ  is  the  life;  the  beating  heart,  the 
throbbing  pulse,  the  heaving  breast,  the  glistening 
eye,  the  busy  brain,  the  eager  hand :  in  other  words, 

198 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

the  Church  is  "his  body,  the  fullness  of  him  that 
filleth  all  in  all."     (Eph.  1:23.) 

It  is  obvious  that  branches  of  the  body  which  is 
thus  animated  must  draw  nearer  to  each  other  as 
they  approach  this  living  Center,  just  as  radiating 
beams  of  light  converge  toward  the  sun.  The  vari- 
ous denominations  may  and  do  differ  in  matters  of 
minor  importance,  hvA  they  are  called  after  the  same 
Name  —  the  Name  which  is  above  every  other  in 
heaven  and  on  earth  —  and  all  are  agreed  in  re- 
ceiving him  as  Alpha  and  Omega,  first,  last,  midst, 
and  all  in  all. 

II.  Moreover,  they  are  one  in  their  enduement 
of  power.  There  are  indeed  "  diversities  of  work- 
ings, but  the  same  God,  who  worketh  all  things  in 
all,"  A  papal  hand  may  hold  a  denomination  in 
rigid  oneness  like  that  of  a  bar  of  steel:  but  true 
unity  is  of  a  different  sort.  If  the  bar  of  steel  be 
wrought  into  wheels  and  levers  and  pinions ;  and  if 
these  be  joined  together  and  articulated  so  as  to 
form  a  subtle  mechanism;  and  if  this  mechanism  be 
pervaded  through  and  through  with  vital  energy, 
we  have  a  working  combination  which  is  vastly 
better,  because  more  productive,  than  a  rigid  imit. 
The  Church  is  made  up  of  many  factors,  which  are 
thus  brought  together,  not  in  a  formal  or  circum- 
stantial but  in  a  dynamic  harmony,  by  the  power  of 
one  Spirit  who  energizes  all. 

III.  The  Church  is  one,  moreover,  by  reason  of 
the  mutual  sympathy  of  its  members.     In  the  felici- 

199 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

tous  figure  of  "  the  body  of  Christ  "  we  have  a  defi- 
nition of  the  Communion  of  Saints.  The  body  is 
traversed  by  a  nervous  system,  so  sensitive  through- 
out that,  if  you  tread  upon  the  foot,  there  is  an 
instant  thrill  of  sympathetic  pain  at  the  finger-tips. 
The  parallel  is  perfect :  when,  for  example,  the  hard- 
ships of  missionaries  in  the  service  of  the  Wesleyan 
Church  in  Africa  are  reported,  there  is  an  instan- 
taneous wave  of  commiseration  transcending  all  de- 
nominational barriers.  If  it  be  true  that  the  crucial 
test  of  friendship  is  adversity,  then  the  denomina- 
tions prove  their  amity  in  this  sharing  of  burdens 
and  mingling  of  tears. 

IV.  Still  further,  the  true  Church,  in  all  its  vari- 
ous branches,  is  one  by  virtue  of  a  common  pur- 
pose, to  wit,  the  salvation  of  the  world.  All  other 
considerations  are  ignored  or  remanded  to  a  subor- 
dinate place.  Their  common  watchword  is  "  The 
World  for  Christ!" 

V.  The  Unity  of  the  Church  is  manifest  also  in 
its  equipment  for  service.  All  true  workers  are  har- 
nessed alike  with  the  girdle  of  truth,  the  breastplate 
of  righteousness,  the  helmet  of  salvation,  the  shield 
of  faith,  and  particularly  the  sword  of  the  Spirit 
which  is  the  Word  of  God.  The  best  evidence  of 
loyalty  to  Christ  is  found  in  the  scars  of  service. 
Among  those  who  stand  on  the  firing  line  of  evan- 
gelism, exposed  to  constant  danger  and  privation, 
there  is  no  difference  of  opinion  as  to  fundamental 
truths ;  and  it  is  meet  and  proper  that  sciolists  should 

200 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

lay  their  hands  upon  their  mouths  in  the  presence  of 
such  men. 

VI.  The  Church  demonstrates  its  unity,  also,  in 
the  confident  hope  of  the  ultimate  triumph  of  Christ. 
The  text  of  William  Carey's  pioneer  Sermon  on 
Missions  in  1793  was,  "  Enlarge  the  place  of  thy 
tent  and  let  them  stretch  forth  the  curtains  of  thy 
habitations:  spare  not;  lengthen  thy  cords  and 
strengthen  thy  stakes"  (Isa.  54:2);  and  his  dis- 
dourse  was  divided  into  two  heads :  First,  "  Under- 
take great  things  for  God " ;  Second,  "  Expect 
great  things  from  God."  It  was  this  sermon  that 
struck  the  keynote  of  the  modern  missionary  move- 
ment. What  wonders  have  been  wrought  since  that 
day! 

I  see  an  army  of  heralds  climbing  mountains, 
fording  rivers  and  crossing  deserts;  of  whom  it  is 
written,  "  How  beautiful  are  the  feet  of  them  that 
bring  glad  tidings  of  good  things !  "  I  see  the  tot- 
tering walls  of  pagan  strongholds  rent  asunder  like 
Jericho  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching,  I  hear  the 
fluttering  of  wings ;  and  behold,  souls  are  coming  to 
Christ  as  doves  flocking  to  their  windows.  Far  off 
are  the  white  sails  of  the  ships  of  Tarshish,  that 
bring  the  sons  and  the  daughters  of  the  nations,  and 
their  silver  and  gold  with  them.  Hither  come  the 
rams  of  Nebaioth  and  the  dromedaries  of  Midian; 
caravans  laden  with  the  glory  of  kings.  I  hear  the 
clash  of  arms  in  mid-heaven,  mingled  with  a  sound 
of  breaking  chains !     Great  Armageddon  is  at  hand ! 

201 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

I  see  the  lifting  of  war  clouds,  the  blooming  of  gar- 
dens, the  opening  of  the  heavens :  and  the  voice  of  a 
great  angel  is  proclaiming,  "  Behold,  the  tabernacle 
of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  shall  dwell  with  them, 
and  they  shall  be  his  peoples,  and  God  himself  shall 
be  with  them  and  be  their  God." 

In  all  these  things  we  observe  the  true  "  commu- 
nion of  saints."  Here  is  no  mere  sentimental  clasp- 
ing of  hands  and  singing  of  "  Blest  be  the  tie  that 
binds  " ;  but  a  real  blending  of  spirits,  made  mani- 
fest in  sympathetic  loyalty  to  a  common  Lord  and 
in  practical  devotion  to  a  common  cause.' 

Church  Union  needs  no  exploiting.  It  is  an  ac- 
complished fact.  But,  alas,  there  are  many  pro- 
fessed followers  of  Christ  who  rule  themselves  out 
of  it. 

On  one  occasion,  when  Handel  was  rehearsing 
the  oratorio  of  The  Messiah  he  arrested  the  per- 
formance to  say,  "  I  miss  one  flageolet !  "  He  had 
detected  the  default  of  a  member  of  his  great  orches- 
tra. Friend,  are  you  neglecting  your  part  in  the 
service  of  the  Kingdom?  Does  God  miss  you? 
Oh,  fail  not  here !  The  air  is  vibrant  with  tidings 
of  conquest.  God  asks  you  to  cooperate  with  him 
in  bringing  back  the  world  to  truth  and  righteous- 
ness. The  Church  is  on  the  march.  Fall  in !  The 
royal  standards  onward  go!  • 


202 


Section  X 
"  The  forgiveness  of  sins." 


Wilt  thou  forgive  that  sin  where  I  begun, 

Which  was  my  sin,  though  it  were  done  before  ? 

Wilt  thou  forgive  that  sin,  through  which  I  run. 
And  do  run  still,  though  still  I  do  deplore  ? 

When  thou  hast  done,  thou  hast  not  done ; 
For  I  have  more. 

Wilt  thou  forgive  that  sin  which  I  have  won 

Others  to  sin,  and  made  my  sins  their  door? 
Wilt  thou  forgive  that  sin  which  I  did  shun 

A  year  or  two,  but  wallowed  in  a  score  ? 
When  thou  hast  done,  thou  hast  not  done ; 
For  I  have  more. 

—  John  Donne] 


"  THE  FORGIVENESS  OF  SINS  " 

I  MARVEL  at  the  versatility  of  God.  He 
never  made  two  things  precisely  alike.  One 
star  differeth  from  another  in  glory.  The 
leaves  of  the  forest  are  as  dissimilar  in  their  lace- 
like tracery  as  though  each  had  been  woven  after 
a  separate  pattern  in  a  loom  of  its  own.  This  is 
not  our  way  of  doing  things.  In  the  Metropolitan 
Museum  is  a  statue  of  the  Greek  Slave,  of  which 
the  artist  made  three  replicas,  each  of  them  so 
closely  copied  after  the  original  that  no  one  can  tell 
them  apart.  God  works  differently.  There  are 
sixteen  hundred  millions  of  people  in  the  world, 
and  no  duplicates !  By  the  Bertillon  method  a  crim- 
inal may  be  recognized  and  convicted  on  the  mere 
evidence  of  his  thumb-prints. 

I.  But  there  is  one  point  at  which  there  is  no  dif- 
ference among  men.  All  are  alike  as  to  their  com- 
plicity in  sin.  Paul  says,  "  There  is  no  distinction ; 
for  all  have  sinned  and  fall  short  of  the  glory  of 
God."  In  another  place  he  says  that  all  are  "  con- 
cluded under  sin."  The  word  concluded  means 
literally  "  shut  up  " ;  as  if  all  were  imprisoned  in  the 
same  dungeon  and  awaiting  trial  on  the  same  charge. 
So  it  is  written,  "  God  looked  down  from  heaven 

205 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

upon  the  children  of  men  to  see  if  there  were  any 
that  did  understand,  that  did  seek  after  God.  Every- 
one of  them  is  gone  back;  they  are  together  become 
filthy;  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one." 

If  there  is  anybody  who  takes  issue  with  that 
proposition  or  thinks  possibly  that  he  is  that  one, 
let  him  speak  up.  What,  none?  Then  it  may  be 
assumed  that  we  agree  thus  far. 

II,  *  Now  as  to  the  penalty  of  sin.  The  law  says, 
"  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die."  What  is  this 
death?  Physical  death  is  a  cessation  of  the  func- 
tions of  physical  life.  When  the  eyes  no  longer 
see  and  the  nerves  are  without  feeling  and  the  heart 
is  silent,  we  say,  "  The  man  is  dead."  By  the  same 
token,  spiritual  death  is  an  arrest  of  the  functions 
of  spiritual  life.  When  the  soul  ceases  to  responds 
to  the  divine  voice  and  conscience  is  heedless  of  the 
divine  law  and  the  emotions  are  unstirred  by  divine 
love,  we  are  warranted  in  saying  that  the  man  is 
spiritually  dead.     For  the  soul  lives  only  in  God.\ 

If  so,  then  spiritual  death  begins  here  and  now. 
And  it  continues  as  long  as  sin  abides.  How  long 
is  that?  Forever,  so  far  as  reason  can  see.  Fo^r 
without  holiness  —  that  is,  freedom  from  sin  —  no 
man  shall  see  God. 

This  is  hell.  This  is  the  outer  darkness  and  eter- 
nal exile.  This  is  the  worm  that  gnaws  at  con- 
science and  dieth  not.  This  is  the  fire  that  is  never 
quenched.  To  be  exiled  from  God!  Not  because 
God  is  not  forever  willing  to  receive  all  those  who 

206 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

will  come  unto  him.  The  twelve  gates  of  heaven 
will  never  be  closed;  but  the  fixity  of  character 
makes  it  impossible  for  an  outlaw  to  enter  in.  He 
can  forever,  but  forever  he  will  not;  because  in 
the  nature  of  the  case  "  sin  is  enmity  against  God." 
Though  the  gates  were  thronged  with  angels  and 
archangels,  beckoning  and  crying  "  Welcome !  "  the 
exile  would  prefer  his  own  place  in  the  outer  dark- 
ness to  the  holy  atmosphere  of  the  redeemed  in 
light.  This  is  the  self-inflicted  penalty  of  sin,  to 
.be  away  from  God.  A  man  shut  up  in  his  sinful 
pleasures  here  and  now  may  be  quite  content  to  live 
without  God;  but  think  what  an  eternity  of  this 
must  be! 

III.  What  is  the  remedy?  There  is  none. 
Tnere  is  absolutely  none  within  the  purview  of  hu- 
man reason.  As  Lady  Macbeth  said,  "  What's 
done  cannot  be  undone."  The  record  of  the  mis- 
lived  past  is  written,  and  nothing  can  unwrite  it. 
I  have  broken  the  law,  and  its  irrevocable  sentence 
has  gone  forth  against  me. 

IV.  What  then  is  to  be  done?  Nothing? 
Must  we  surrender  to  despair?  By  no  means.  The 
Lord's  arm  is  not  shortened  that  it  cannot  save. 

Here  comes  Christ!  , 

"  And  he  saw  that  there  was  no  man,  and  won- 
dered that  there  was  no  intercessor;  therefore  his 
own  arm  brought  salvation  unto  him ;  and  his  right- 
eousness, it  upheld  him." 
I  One  of  the  memorable  cases  in  the  criminal  juris- 
207 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

prudence  of  our  country  was  that  of  Professor  Web- 
ster of  Harvard  College,  who  was  arrested  for  mur- 
der and  found  guilty.  The  man  who  presided  at  his 
trial  was  Chief  Justice  Shaw,  a  classmate  of  the  pris- 
oner at  the  bar.  When  the  jury  came  in  with  its 
verdict,  the  judge  was  so  overcome  that  tears  poured 
over  his  cheeks  and  he  could  not  utter  a  word.  At 
length  he  arose  to  pronounce  the  death  sentence, 
saying  in  a  broken  voice,  "  The  law  must  have  its 
course!  " 

Thanks  be  to  God,  the  law  need  not  have  its  course 
at  the  Great  Assize ;  "  for  what  the  law  could  not  do 
in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God,  sending 
his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  fl,esh,"  hath 
done,  to  the  end  that  our  sins  might  be  forgiven  and 
the  righteousness  of  the  law  be  made  manifest  in  us. 

But  how  could  even  the  divine  Christ  forgive  sin? 
He  could  do  this  only  by  satisfying  the  demand  of 
the  broken  law.  The  sin  itself,  as  an  established 
fact,  could  not  be  removed;  but  if  its  penalty  were 
endured  the  guilty  might  be  permitted  to  go  free. 
And  this  is  precisely  what  Christ  did.  He  took  our 
place  before  the  bar  of  justice  and  died  vicariously 
for  us,  as  it  is  written :  "  He  was  wounded  for  our 
transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities ; 
the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him ;  and 
with  his  stripes  we  are  healed."  Our  Substitute 
drank  for  us  the  last  drop  in  the  dregs  of  the  bitter 
cup  of  death ;  in  our  behalf  he,  in  a  veiy  literal  sense, 
"  descended  into  hell." 

208 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

The  climax  of  his  suffering  was  reached  when, 
in  the  unnatural  darkness  of  Golgotha,  he  cried, 
"  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?  " 
Thus  for  a  moment  —  and  a  moment  in  his  divine 
life  was  the  equivalent  of  an  eternity  in  ours  —  he 
endured  the  horror  of  exile  from  God!  And  be- 
cause he  thus  went  down,  down,  down  into  the  utter- 
most depths  where  I  deserved  to  go,  he  satisfied  the 
law  in  my  behalf  and  nailed  to  his  Cross  the  accusa-. 
tion  that  was  against  me.  1 

Is  there  any  condition  affixed  to  the  benefits  of 
his  expiatory  work?  One  only;  namely,  faith. 
And  faith  is  simply  an  acceptance  of  the  overtures 
of  divine  mercy  which  are  offered  in  and  through 
him.  Pardon  is  to  be  had  for  the  taking !  "  The 
wages  of  sin  is  death;  but  the  free  gift  of  God  is 
eternal  life."  Nevertheless,  unless  we  take  it  we 
will  never  have  it. 

'But  faith  has  lan  antecedent  and  a  consequent. 
Its  antecedent  is  repentance;  that  is,  an  acknowl- 
edgment of  sin  and  a  sincere  desire  to  forsake  it. 
Its  consequent  is  confession  of  Christ.:  "  Repent, 
believe,  and  be  baptized,"  is  the  formulary  of  spir- 
itual life.  Baptism  is 'an  open  confession  of  Christ. 
A  refusal  to  confess  him  is  a  practical  admission  of 
insincerity.  The  assurance  of  pardon  is  like  "  oint- 
ment in  the  hand,  which  bewrayeth  itself."  So  it  is 
written,  "  With  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  right- 
eousness, and  with  the  mouth  confession  is  made 
unto  salvation." 

209 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

What  evidence  is  there  to  verify  this  tremen- 
dous claim  of  Christ  to  forgive  sin?  Is  it  wit- 
nesses we  want?  Heaven  is  full  of  them.  "  I  saw, 
and  behold,  a  great  multitude  which  no  man  could 
number,  out  of  every  nation  and  of  all  tribes  and 
peoples  and  tongues,  standing  before  the  throne  and 
before  the  Lamb,  arrayed  in  white  robes,  and  palms 
in  their  hands.  .  .  .  These  are  they  that  come  out 
of  the  great  tribulation,  and  they  washed  their  robes 
and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb." 
It  would  appear  that  all  these  reached  heaven  by 
faith  in  Christ ;  as  he  said,  "  No  man  cometh  unto 
the  Father  but  by  me." 

Do  you  ask  for  more  witnesses?  If  this  were  a 
case  in  court  how  many  would  satisfy  you  ?  There 
are  some  hundreds  of  millions  now  living  on  earth 
who  are  prepared  to  say,  "  This  poor  man  cried,  and 
Jehovah  heard  him  and  saved  him  out  of  all  his  trou- 
bles," and  to  sing. 

"  Oh,  happy  day  that  fixed  my  choice 
On  thee,  my  Saviour  and  my  God ! 
Well  may  this  glowing  heart  rejoice, 
And  tell  its  raptures  all  abroad." 

*'  Hozv  shall  we  escape,  if  zve  neglect  so  great 
salvation?  "  That  is  a  fair  question.  A  tourist  in 
the  Alps  or  in  Normandy  sees  crosses  here  and  there 
and  everywhere,  bearing  the  inscription,  Spes  Unica, 
that  is,  "  The  only  hope."  I  know  of  no  other  hope. 
In  all  the  philosophies  of  the  ages  there  is  no  sug- 

2IO 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

gestion  or  intimation  of  any  method  of  blotting  out 
the  record  of  a  sinful  past.  Here  is  the  "  fountain 
filled  with  blood,  drawn  from  Immanuel's  veins," 
which  —  so  it  is  claimed  —  cleanseth  from  all  sin. 
H  that  be  rejected,  where  shall  we  turn?  If  a  man 
hides  his  face  from  Christ  as  the  Saviour,  where  else 
shall  he  look  for  salvation  ?  Is  there  any  other  that 
has  the  words  of  eternal  life? 


211 


Section  XI 
The  resurrection  of  the  body.* 


It  kindles  all  my  soul, 
My  country's  loveliness !     Those  starry  choirs 

That  watch  around  the  pole, 
And  the  moon's  tender  light,  and  heavenly  fires 

Through  golden  halls  that  roll. 
O  chorus  of  the  night !     O  planets,  sworn 

The  music  of  the  spheres 
To  follow !     Lovely  watchers,  that  think  scorn 

To  rest  till  day  appears ! 
Me,  for  celestial  homes  of  glory  born, 

Why  here,  oh,  why  so  long 
Do  ye  behold  an  exile  from  on  high? 

Here,  O  ye  shining  throng, 
With  lilies  spread  the  mound  where  I  shall  lie : 

Here  let  me  drop  my  chain, 
And  dust  to  dust  returning,  cast  away 

The  trammels  that  remain : 
The  rest  of  me  shall  spring  to  endless  day ! 

—  Casimir. 


"THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE 
BODY  " 

THERE  are  two  ways  of  disposing  of  a 
difficult  doctrine;  one  is  to  deny  it  out- 
right, and  the  other  —  much  cleverer,  less 
ingenuous,  but  equally  effective  —  is  to  explain  it 
away. 

In  the  Church  at  Corinth  there  were  some  who 
undertook  to  treat  the  resurrection  of  the  dead 
in  that  manner.  They  could  not  deny  it  without 
disloyalty  to  Christ;  but  they  could  sophisticate  it. 
This  they  did  by  affirming  that  the  Resurrection  is 
not  a  literal  resurrection  of  the  body,  but  simply  a 
survival  of  the  soul  with  a  perpetuity  of  influence 
behind  it. 

When  Paul  preached  this  doctrine  to  the  Corin- 
thians, he  found  it  necessary  to  meet  this  sort  of 
sinister  reasoning:  "But  some  one  will  say.  How 
are  the  dead  raised?  and  with  what  manner  of  body 
do  they  come?  Thou  foolish  one,  that  which  thou 
thyself  sowest  is  not  quickened  except  it  die :  and 
that  which  thou  sowest,  thou  sowest  not  the  body 
that  shall  be,  but  a  bare  grain,  it  may  chance  of 
wheat  or  of  some  other  kind;  but  God  giveth  it  a 
body  even  as  it  pleased  him,  and  to  each  seed  a 
body  of  its  own." 

215 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

The  argument  is  in  the  nature  of  a  parable;  and 
in  this  parable  of  the  grain  of  wheat  a  clear  light 
is  thrown  upon  the  question,  "  How  are  the  dead 
raised,  and  with  what  manner  of  body  do  they 
come?  " 

I.  The  grain  of  wheat  does  not  really  die.  It 
is  not  annihilated,  even  though  the  animating  germ 
is  destroyed  within  it;  for  the  conservation  of  mat- 
ter is  scientifically  as  true  as  the  conservation  of 
force.  The  analogy  of  the  parable  holds  so  far  only 
as  the  vital  germ  is  conserved.  In  this  case  that 
which  is  apparently  death  is  the  very  assurance  of 
life;  as  Jesus  said,  "Except  a  grain  of  wheat  fall 
into  the  earth  and  die,  it  abideth  by  itself  alone ;  but 
if  it  die,  it  beareth  much  fruit." 

In  our  mortal  bodies  there  are  possibilities  of  life 
which  cannot  be  realized  here  and  now.  The  body 
must  pass  through  mortality  before  it  can  attain  to 
the  glory  of  immortality.  It  must  "  shufifle  off  this 
mortal  coil,"  as  the  grain  lays  aside  its  husk,  before 
it  can  truly  live.  Thus  we  interpret  the  words  of 
Jesus  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus,  "  I  am  the  Resurrec- 
tion and  the  Life;  he  that  believeth  on  me,  though 
he  die,  yet  shall  he  live ;  and  whosoever  liveth  and 
believeth  on  me  shall  never  die." 

II.  The  grain  of  wheat  comes  forth  from  the 
ground.  It  is  buried,  lost  to  sight  for  a  while. 
Then  it  reappears:  first  a  spear  of  tender  green,  aft- 
erward a  sturdy  stalk  shooting  up  into  the  sunlight. 
The  body  reappears  in  like  manner.     The  trumpet 

216 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

shall  sound:  and  all  that  are  in  their  graves  shall 
hear  the  voice  of  the  Lord  and  shall  come  forth,  as 
Lazarus  heard  and  came  forth  at  the  call  of  the  in- 
carnate Son  of  God. 

in.  The  stalk  that  issues  from  the  sepulcher 
of  the  grain  is  not  merely  a  reduplication  of  it. 
"  That  which  thou  sowest,  thou  sowest  not  the  body 
that  shall  be." 

So  is  it  with  the  resurrection  of  the  body.  It  does 
not  come  forth  "  cast  in  the  same  mold."  As 
the  grain  becomes  a  stalk  bearing  the  burden  of  a 
thousand  grains;  as  the  bushel  of  wheat  becomes  a 
harvest  to  feed  the  hunger  of  a  multitude;  so  is 
the  contrast  between  the  body  which  was  laid 
away  in  the  sepulcher  and  that  which  issues  from 
it. 

IV.  The  resurrection  body  will  be  a  spiritual 
body,  adjusted  to  the  conditions  of  its  higher  life: 
since  "  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God." 

( 1 )  "  It  is  sown  in  dishonor,  it  is  raised  in 
glory."   _ 

The  dishonor  of  the  fleshly  body  is  due  wholly  to 
sin;  and  there  will  be  no  sin  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Nor  will  there  be  any  of  the  sorrows  that  are  attend- 
ant upon  it.  "  God  shall  wipe  away  every  tear 
from  their  eyes."  The  beauty  of  holiness  will  be 
our  beauty  there. 

(2)  "  It  is  sown  in  weakness;  it  is  raised  in 
power." 

217 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

The  body  must  needs  be  raised  in  power  in  order 
to  be  fitted  to  its  higher  sphere.  For  its  greater 
tasks  in  heaven  it  will  need  clearer  eyes  and  stronger 
hands.  It  will  no  longer  be  hampered  by  the  limi- 
tations of  time  and  space. 

Our  tasks  are  often  wearisome  by  reason  of  the 
infirmities  of  the  flesh;  but  in  heaven  we  shall  be 
equipped  with  powers  adequate  to  all  the  service  re- 
quired of  us.  It  is  recorded  that,  during  the  cap- 
tivity in  Babylon,  a  great  prayer  was  made  by  Dan- 
iel for  the  deliverance  of  the  people;  and  he  said, 
"  While  I  was  speaking  in  prayer,  the  man,  Gabriel, 
whom  I  had  seen  in  the  vision  at  the  beginning,  be- 
ing caused  to  fly  swiftly,  touched  me  about  the  time 
of  the  evening  oblation.  And  he  talked  with  me, 
and  said,  ...  At  the  beginning  of  thy  supplications 
the  commandment  went  forth,  and  I  am  come  to  tell 
thee !  "  That  is,  the  angel  had  come  all  the  way 
from  heaven,  in  that  moment  of  prayer,  to  answer 
him!  The  speed  of  a  wireless  message  through  the 
vastness  of  ether  was  thus  outdone.  Who  knows, 
then,  what  shall  be  the  multiplied  energies  of  those 
who,  out  of  fleshly  weakness,  are  made  strong  in  the 
glory  of  the  endless  life? 

(3)  "  It  is  sown  in  corruption ;  it  is  raised  in  in- 
corruption." 

The  sure  approach  of  dissolution  is  written  on  the 
face  of  every  living  being.  The  moment  we  begin 
to  live  we  begin  to  die.  But  there  our  bodies  shall 
be   endowed   with   self-perpetuating   life.     At   the 

218 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

blast  of  the  trumpet  all  who  awake  in  Christ  shall 
drink  of  the  Fountain  of  Perpetual  Youth. 

V.  The  resurrection  body  will  be  the  same  that 
was  laid  away  in  the  grave. 

For  "  to  every  seed  is  given  its  own  body."  The 
farmer,  after  sowing  his  wheat,  goes  out  and  waits 
for  that  which  shall  be.  Will  he  look  for  rye  or 
barley  ?  No,  for  wheat,  always  for  wheat ;  because 
the  law  of  nature  is  "  Each  after  its  kind."  The 
seed  of  the  sowing  is  always  recognized  in  the  har- 
vest that  is  gathered  in. 

So  shall  it  be  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  The 
identity  of  the  body  will  be  preserved  because  of  the 
vital  germ  within  it. 

But  what  do  we  mean  by  "  identity  "  ?  There  is 
an  identity  like  that  of  Niagara,  where  there  is  a 
constant  change  of  substance  with  continuance  of 
form.  There  is  an  identity  which  consists  in  same- 
ness of  substance,  as  when  you  dissolve  a  silver  chal- 
ice in  aqua  fortis  and,  by  the  use  of  proper  chemicals, 
recover  every  particle  of  it.  There  may  be  an  iden- 
tity without  the  persistence  of  either  form  or  sub- 
stance :  my  hand  is  the  same  as  that  which  rested  on 
my  mother's  bosom  in  infancy;  yet,  since  the  body 
is  in  a  state  of  constant  flux,  neither  the  form  nor 
the  substance  of  that  hand  is  here;  nevertheless  my 
mother  would  know  it. 

We  cannot,  therefore,  speak  dogmatically  in  these 
premises,  and  particularly  as  we  are  in  the  presence 
.of  a  mystery;  but  by  the  parable  of  the  grain  of 

219 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

wheat  we  are  warranted  in  saying  that  the  resur- 
rection body  preserves  its  identity  by  virtue  of  the 
vital  germ  or  informing  principle  within  it.  So  far 
forth  the  teaching  of  Scripture  is  clear.  The  iden- 
tical body  that  is  buried  shall  "  come  forth."  This 
is  involved  in  the  term  "  resurrection,"  or  rising 
again.  The  physical  body  has  a  vital  connection 
with  the  spiritual  body,  a  connection  so  close  as  to 
assure  its  identity  with  it. 

The  point  of  importance  is  thus  maintained:  to 
wit,  that  those  who  come  forth  in  the  resurrection 
shall  be  recognizable;  and  to  us,  as  to  those  Corin- 
thians who  lamented  their  martyred  dead,  this  is  a 
source  of  immeasurable  comfort.  We  want  to 
know  each  other  in  heaven ;  to  the  end  that  we  may 
not  sorrow  as  those  who  are  without  hope.  It  does 
not  content  us  to  think  of  our  translated  friends  as 
disembodied  spirits  in  the  realms  of  infinite  space; 
as  one  of  the  poets  puts  it : 

"  Somewhere,  in  desolate  wind-swept  space, 
In  Twilight  Land,  in  No  Man's  Land, 
Two  hurrying  Shapes  met  face  to  face 
And  bade  each  other  stand. 

*  And  who  are  you  ?  '  cried  one  agape, 

Shuddering  in  the  gloaming  light, 

*  I  do  not  know,'  said  the  other  Shape, 

*  I  only  died  last  night ! '  " 

No;  we  shall  have  our  loved  ones  and  recognize 
them  as  our  very  own.     Wives  and  husbands,  after 

220 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

years  of  separation,  shall  look  into  each  other's 
faces  with  unspeakable  joy ;  and  the  little  children 
that  slipped  out  of  our  arms  long  ago  will  be  given 
back  to  us. 

VI.     The  analogy  is  that  of  Christ's  resurrection 

body. 

The  beloved  disciple  who  had  lain  upon  his  bosom 
in  the  upper  room  saw  him  afterward  in  Olivet  with 
the  glory  of  the  resurrection  in  his  face  and  as  the 
heavens  opened  to  receive  him.  And  years  after- 
ward he  saw  him  again  at  Patmos,  but  so  glorified 
was  he  that  John  could  scarce  believe  the  sight. 
But  the  glorified  Christ  laid  his  right  hand  upon 
him,  saying,  "Fear  not!  I  am  the  Living  One; 
and  I  was  dead  and  behold  I  am  alive  forever- 
more  1 "  He  was  the  same,  changed  yet  recogniza- 
ble. Our  identity  will  be  preserved  in  the  same 
way. 

Of  this  transfiguration  our  Lord  himself  is  the 
pledge  and  surety.  Paul  says,  "  Now  hath  Christ 
been  raised  from  the  dead,  the  first-fruits  of  them 
that  are  asleep."  As  the  Jewish  farmer  brought 
his  first  sheaf  of  wheat  or  basket  of  olives  and 
waved  them  before  the  altar  of  the  Temple,  as  a 
prayer  for  the  harvest  and  a  prophecy  of  the  in- 
gathering; so  is  Christ  become  the  first-fruits  of  all 
that  sleep  in  him. 

The  teaching  of  the  Scriptures  as  to  the  physical 
resurrection  is  beyond  all  question.  On  the  occasion 
of  Christ's  miracle  at  Bethesda  he  said  to  the  cavil- 

221 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

ing  scribes  and  Pharisees,  "  Marvel  not  at  this :  for 
the  hour  cometh  in  which  all  that  are  in  the  tombs 
shall  hear  his  voice  and  shall  come  forth !  "  It  is 
obvious  that  in  this  and  similar  teachings  he  does 
not  refer  to  the  spiritual  resurrection;  for  there  is 
something  that  comes  forth  out  of  the  grave;  and 
that  something  can  he  nothing  else  hut  the  body 
which  zvas  buried  in  it. 

It  cannot  be  said  that  revelation  leaves  no  resid- 
uum of  mystery  with  reference  to  this  doctrine.  But 
the  fact  is  affirmed  beyond  all  peradventure ;  and 
through  the  mystery  there  shines  the  brightness  of 
a  glorious  hope.  "  Now  are  we  children  of  God, 
and  it  is  not  yet  made  manifest  what  we  shall  be. 
We  know  that,  if  he  shall  be  manifested,  we  shall  be 
like  him:  for  we  shall  see  him  even  as  he  is.  " 

Since  Jesus  is  mine  I'll  not  fear  undressing, 
But  gladly  put  oflf  this  garment  of  clay : 

To  die  in  the  Lord  is  a  covenant  blessing. 

Since  Jesus  to  glory  through  death  led  the  way. 

Thus  not  only  the  salvation  of  our  souls,  but  the 
resurrection  of  our  bodies,  is  assured  in  Christ.  And 
in  this  we  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory. 


222 


Section  XII 
And  the  life  everlasting :     Amen." 


In  soul,  man  mounts  and  flies ; 

In  flesh  he  dies : 

Not  that  he  may  not  here 

Taste  of  the  cheer; 

But  as  birds  drink,  and  straight  lift  up  their  head. 

So  may  he  sip,  and  think 

Of  better  drink 

He  may  attain  to  after  he  is  dead. 

—  George  Herbert. 


"AND  THE  LIFE  EVERLASTING" 

IS  it  to  be  supposed  that  the  woman  of  Sy- 
char  understood  what  Jesus  meant  when  he 
spoke  of  "  Hving  water "  of  which  if  one 
drink  he  "  shall  never  thirst," —  which  shall  be  in 
him  "  a  well  of  water  springing  up  unto  eternal 
life  "  ?  No,  she  was  simply  bewildered.  Hear  her : 
"  Sir,  thou  hast  nothing  to  draw  with  and  the  well 
is  deep."  Indeed,  the  well  was  deep;  deeper  than 
she  dreamed;  as  deep  as  the  unfathomable  love  of 
God!  A  rope  and  a  well-sweep  could  not  avail; 
but  the  Man  in  homespun,  sitting  there  on  the  curb, 
had  made  bare  an  omnipotent  arm  to  draw  it. 

What  is  the  eternal  life?  I  wish  I  knew  and 
could  unveil  it ;  but  "  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear 
heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man, 
the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him." 

The  woman  of  Sychar  lived  in  a  valley  circled 
about  by  the  everlasting  hills.  She  looked  across 
the  summit  of  Ebal  and  dreamed  of  the  Great  River 
and  its  mysteries;  or  beyond  Mount  Gerizim  where, 
now  and  then,  a  golden  mist  rose  from  the  Great 
Sea.     No   doubt  there  were   occasional   strangers 

225 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

who  came  with  news  from  beyond;  but  the  Beyond 
was  all  Wonderland  to  her. 

So  do  we  dwell  in  a  little  world,  hemmed  in  by 
the  circumscription  of  time  and  space,  absorbed  in 
the  petty  affairs  of  shop  and  household,  with  only 
guesses  for  the  universe  of  God.  Of  one  thing  we 
are  sure :  we  are  larger  than  the  world  we  live  in. 
We  were  born  for  greater  things  than  grinding  at 
the  mill.  Hence  the  racial,  unquenchable  thirst  for 
life,  more  Hfe,  eternal  life! 

But  alas,  our  longings  travail  to  no  birth;  and 
life  itself  awaits  a  definition.  All  heaven  is  full  of 
saints  triumphant  who  have  emerged  from  the  shad- 
ows and  know ;  but  when  they  come  back  to  our  val- 
ley, as  "  ministering  spirits,"  they  always  come  with 
their  fingers  on  their  lips. 

There  are,  however,  some  things  that  we  know 
about  it. 

I.  To  begin  with,  Everlasting  Life  is  a  fact. 
One  of  the  oldest  of  proverbs  is  "  Nature  never 

deceives."  It  is  upon  that  postulate  that  Socrates 
reasoned  out  the  problem  of  immortality.  "If  this 
be  a  dream,"  said  he,  "  let  me  still  dream  on,  and 
awake  to  disappointinent,  rather  than  suffer  from 
the  haunting  fear  that  death  ends  all!  But  this  is 
no  dream;  since  there  is  no  appetite  without  pro- 
vision made  for  supplying  it.  How,  then,  will  you 
explain  this  thirst  of  mine,  unless  there  be  water 
somewhere  to  quench  it?Zl 

II.  We  know,  moreover,  that  Everlasting  Life 

226 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

is  more  than  immortality;  that  is,  the  mere  continu- 
ance of  our  present  life. 

To  breathe  and  eat  and  drink,  to  rise  in  the  morn- 
ing and  address  ourselves  to  the  round  of  common 
tasks,  to  come  home  weary  under  the  heat  and  bur- 
den of  the  day,  and  lie  down  again  and  sleep  and 
wake  and  resume  the  treadmill  —  this  does  not  con- 
tent us.  Nevertheless,  however  flat,  stale  and  un- 
profitable this  mere  existence,  it  must  go  on.  I  am 
immortal  and  cannot  help  it.  I  am  immortal  be- 
cause the  divine  breath  is  in  me.  There  is  no  folly 
comparable  with  that  of  the  man  who  commits  sui- 
cide in  order  to  escape  from  life.  "  Out,  out,  brief 
candle ;  life's  but  a  walking  shadow  "  ?  Nothing  of 
the  sort.  Life  cannot  be  extinguished  that  way. 
The  tenant  may  move  out  of  his  tabernacle  of  flesh, 
but  he  merely  moves  on.] 

III.  We  know  still  further,  that  whatever  this 
Everlasting  Life  may  be,  it  has  some  vital  relation 
with  God.  "We  came  out  from  him,"  as  Au- 
gustine said,  "  and  will  never  rest  until  we  rest  in 
him."  We  have  lost  our  birthright,  and  can  only 
regain  it  by  getting  right  with  God. 

So  it  is  written,  "  This  is  life  eternal,  to  know 
God  " ;  that  is,  to  be  in  harmony  with  all  his  benefi- 
cent plans  and  purposes  concerning  us;  to  be  true 
to  the  divine  law,  which  is  the  law  of  our  being;  to 
rest  under  his  complacent  smile ;  to  have  no  cloud  of 
separation  between  our  souls  and  him. 

How  speaks  the  thirst  within  us?  "  As  the  hart 
22y 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

panteth  after  the  water  brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul 
after  thee,  O  God ! "  Ah,  nature  never  deceives. 
Our  dry-lipped  souls  cry  as  w^ith  an  articulate  voice 
for  a  drink  from  the  v^ell  beside  the  gate  of  God ! 

IV.  And  another  thing  that  we  know  about  this 
spiritual  and  eternal  life  is  that,  if  it  ever  begins,  it 
must  begin  here  and  now.  Indeed,  that  is  what  we 
are  here  for. 

I  It  is  impossible  to  explain  this  handbreadth  of  un- 
certainty and  incompleteness  that  we  call  life  — 
this  confusion  of  threads  and  thrums,  of  unrealized 
ideals  and  unrighted  wrongs  —  unless  it  be  a  mere 
introduction  to  something  further  on.  All  the  hills 
are  leveled  and  all  the  crooked  places  made  straight, 
if  eternity  open  up  before  us. 

But  if  this  life  is  probationary,  there  must  be  a 
Statute  of  Limitations;  that  is  to  say,  our  proba- 
tion must  end.  Were  it  not  for  that,  death  would 
have  no  terrors.  Death  is  the  line  where  character 
is  crystallized ;  and  as  the  tree  f alleth  so  also  shall  it 
lie.  Thus  it  is  written :  "  He  that  is  unrighteous, 
let  him  do  unrighteousness  still :  and  he  that  is  filthy, 
let  him  be  made  filthy  still :  and  he  that  is  righteous, 
let  him  do  righteousness  still:  and  he  that  is  holy, 
let  him  be  made  holy  still."  Wherefore  it  behooves 
us,  as  men  contemplating  a  long  journey,  to  make 
suitable  provision  for  it.' 

V.  Still  further,  we  are  advised  that  this  Ever- 
lasting Life  begins  in  Christ. 

It  was  for  this  reason,  and  for  no  other,  that  he 
228 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

came  into  this  world  of  ours.  "  I  came,"  he  said, 
"  that  they  may  have  Hfe,  and  may  have  it  abun- 
dantly." This  is  precisely  in  line  with  what  he  said 
to  the  woman  at  Sychar,  "  He  that  drinketh  of  the 
water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  never  thirst;  but  it 
shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water  springing  up  unto 
eternal  life." 

"^  Let  us  not  suppose,  however,  that  this  wonderful 
life,  here  or  in  heaven,  is  the  same  for  all.  In  some 
particulars  this  is  doubtless  true.  The  saint  who 
occupies  the  lowest  seat  in  heaven  is  as  free  from  the 
record  of  past  sin  as  the  one  who  stands  nearest  the 
throne.  He  is  equally  delivered  from  the  conse- 
quences of  sin :  since  there  is  no  pain  nor  sorrow 
there  and  no  farewells.  And  before  the  lowest  also 
is  an  immeasurable  vista  of  progress,  from  grace  to 
grace  and  from  glory  to  glory,  forever  and  ever. 

But  this  does  not  mean  that  glory  is  on  a  dead 
level.  A  snail  and  an  eagle  are  both  alive  and  happy 
in  their  way;  but  a  snail  crawls  while  an  eagle  soars 
and  kindles  its  undazzled  eyes  at  the  noonday  sun. 

To  the  penitent  thief  who  lived  but  an  hour  of 
humble  faith,  the  promise  was  given,  **  To-day  shalt 
thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise !  "  Thanks  be  to  God 
for  the  omnipotent  grace  that,  "  betwixt  the  saddle 
and  the  ground,"  can  save  a  sinner  in  that  way !  But 
think  you  his  Paradise  could  measure  up  to  that  of 
Paul,  who  after  a  long  and  eventful  life  of  toil  and 
peril  in  his  Master's  service  —  a  veteran  bearing 
about  in  his  body  the  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus  — 

229 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

bowed  at  the  headsman's  block,  closed  his  eyes  and 
opened  them  in  the  presence  of  his  Lord?  Oh,  no; 
incredible !  The  snail  crawls  out  of  danger,  but  the 
eagle  flies  to  the  bosom  of  God. 

A  Christian  woman  rears  her  household  so  heed- 
lessly that,  one  by  one,  her  loved  ones  slip  away 
into  by  and  forbidden  paths  until,  at  length,  she 
comes  up  alone  before  God.  Think  you  her  joy  will 
be  like  that  of  the  mother  who  has  trained  her  chil- 
dren in  the  sanctities  of  the  Covenant,  so  that  she 
finally  gathers  them  all  in  with  the  words,  "  Behold, 
I  and  the  children  whom  God  hath  given  me !  " 

A  Christian  man  of  wealth  is  so  reluctant  to  part 
with  his  treasure  at  the  Master's  call  that,  when  he 
goes  to  heaven,  it  is  by  the  narrow  margin  of  a  nee- 
dle's eye;  while  another,  knowing  that  his  posses- 
sions are  not  held  by  ownership  but  by  stewardship, 
uses  them  accordingly,  making  for  himself  friends 
by  the  mammon  of  unrighteousness,  who  give  him 
welcome  at  heaven's  gate.  It  will  surely  be  a  differ- 
ent sort  of  heaven  to  those  men. 

If  so,  inasmuch  as  heaven  with  all  its  felicities 
begins  on  earth,  it  behooves  us  to  prepare  for  it. 
For  the  spiritual  life,  of  which  we  are  speaking,  is 
like  the  unbroken  current  of  a  river  which  presently 
turns  a  bend  and  vanishes  from  sight,  but  flows 
right  on. 

Now,  as  to  the  practical  bearing  of  all  this.  It 
makes  a  great  difference  in  our  manner  of  life 
whether  or  no  we  believe  in  the  life  further  on.     It 

230 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

formulates  our  plans  for  to-morrow  and  the  next 
day.  It  strikes  the  keynote  of  our  behavior  at  home, 
in  society,  in  the  shop  and  office  and  marketplace, 
in  all  our  contact  with  those  about  us. 

In  one  of  the  cemeteries  of  Philadelphia  there  is 
a  tombstone  bearing  this  epitaph : 

"  The  Body  of 

B.  FrankHn,  Printer, 

(Like  the  Cover  on  an  old  Book, 

Its   contents   torn   out 

And  stript  of  its  Lettering  and  Gilding,) 

Lies  here,  food  for  worms; 

But  the  Work  shall  not  be  lost : 

For  it  will   (as  he  believes)   appear  once  more 

In  a  new  and  more  elegant  Edition, 

Revised  and  corrected 


/ 

By  its  Author." 


Thank  God  for  the  assurance  of  the  "new  edi- 
tion, revised  and  corrected  by  its  Author !  "  Here 
we  rejoice  in  life,  but  there  —  O  men  and  women, 
great  things  are  before  us !  "  Now  are  we  children 
of  God,  and  it  is  not  yet  made  manifest  what  we 
shall  be." 

In  addition  to  the  fact  that  our  view  of  the  Ever- 
lasting Life  has  a  practical  bearing  on  our  manner 
of  living  here  and  now,  it  must  be  observed  that  it 
greatly  modifies  our  conception  of  death.  If  we  are 
to  continue  to  live  without  any  interruption,  then  one 
who  has  entered  upon  the  higher  life  may  regard 

231 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

death  as  a  mere  line  of  shadow  falling  across  his 
way :  or  to  use  the  words  of  Longfellow,  "  a  cov- 
ered bridge,  leading  from  light  to  light  through  a 
brief  darkness."  '  Death  as  a  motive  is  reduced  to 
the  vanishing  point.  It  has  lost  its  sting.  Thanks 
be  to  God  who  giveth  us  the  victory  over  it !  Life 
is  the  momentous  thing.  It  is  far  more  solemn  to 
live  than  to  die;  for  life  eternal  is  what  life  temporal 
makes  it. 


232 


"AMEN" 

BUT  before  we  say  "  Amen "  let  us  know 
what  it  means.  Our  Lord  said,  "  By  thy 
words  thou  shalt  be  justified,  and  by  thy 
words  thou  shalt  be  condemned."  We  have  been 
repeating  "  Amen  "  ever  since  we  learned  it  at  our 
mother's  knees.  It  is  a  universal  word;  the  He- 
brews and  Greeks  used  it  and  pronounced  it  just  as 
we  do. 

When  the  children  of  Israel  came  over  the  border 
into  the  Land  of  Promise  they  pitched  their  camp 
in  the  broad  valley  of  Ephraim;  and  as  the  blessings 
and  retributions  of  the  Law  rang  to  and  fro  between 
Ebal  and  Gerizim  they  responded  with  a  loud 
"Amen."       What  did  they  mean  by  it? 

When  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  —  the  symbol  of 
the  divine  Presence  —  was  brought  up  to  Gibeon 
by  King  David  and  placed  within  the  Tabernacle, 
a  Psalm  composed  for  the  occasion  was  sung  re- 
sponsively  by  the  children  of  Asaph :  "  Seek  ye  Je- 
hovah and  his  strength;  seek  his  face  evermore. 
Remember  his  covenant  forever,  the  word  which  he 
commanded  to  a  thousand  generations,  .  .  .  saying, 
Unto  thee  will  I  give  the  land  of  Canaan,  the  lot  of 
your  inheritance.  .  .  .  Sing  unto  Jehovah,  all  the 

233 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

earth;  show  forth  his  salvation  from  day  to  day. 
.  .  .  Ascribe  unto  Jehovah  the  glory  due  unto  his 
name:  bring  an  offering  and  come  before  him; 
worship  Jehovah  in  holy  array.  .  .  .  Oh  give  thanks 
unto  Jehovah,  for  he  is  good;  for  his  loving- 
kindness  endureth  forever."  And  again  the  people, 
with  one  accord,  responded  "  Amen !  "  What  did 
they  mean  by  it  ? 

When  the  Temple  of  Solomon  was  dedicated  a 
procession  of  priests  and  Levites  brought  the  Ark 
of  the  Covenant  up  to  the  Holy  of  Holies,  singing, 
"  Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates,  and  be  ye  lifted 
up,  ye  everlasting  doors,  and  the  King  of  Glory  will 
come  in,"  and  King  and  people  and  antiphonal  choirs 
all  responded  "  Amen,"     What  did  they  mean  by  it? 

The  custom  was  continued  after  the  institution  of 
the  Christian  Church.  Paul  says  that  the  Chris- 
tians of  Corinth  were  wont  to  respond  in  this  man- 
ner to  the  prayers  of  the  minister;  and  Jerome  says 
that  in  his  time  the  people  followed  the  various  parts 
of  the  public  service  with  "  Amen  and  Amen." 
What  did  they  mean  by  it  ? 

In  our  childhood,  kneeling  at  our  trundlebeds, 
we  said,  "  Now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep,  I  pray  thee, 
Lord,  my  soul  to  keep,"  and  closed  our  simple  pe- 
tition in  the  same  way.  When  we  repeat  the  Lord's 
Prayer  we  seal  it  with  "Amen."  Is  this  a  mere 
perfunctory  word  ?  Has  it  become  so  familiar  that 
its  edge  is  entirely  worn  off  ?  Would  it  not  be  well 
to  inquire  as  to  the  meaning  of  it? 

234 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

I.  In  connection  with  prayer,  what  does  it  sig- 
nify? 

Sincerity,  to  begin  with.  Its  literal  meaning  is, 
"  So  be  it,"  that  is  to  say,  "  I  really  desire  the  things 
I  am  asking  for."  And  this  is  the  matter  of  chief 
importance  when  we  kneel  before  God.  It  is  an 
easy  thing  to  say  our  prayers  but  a  very  different 
thing  to  pray.  You  will  remember  Gratiano's 
masque  of  devotion,  "  I  will  put  on  a  sober  habit, 
talk  with  respect,  wear  prayer-books  in  my  pocket. 
Nay,  more,  while  grace  is  saying  I  will  hood  mine 
eyes  thus  with  my  hat,  and  sigh  and  say  Amen," 

But  God  cannot  be  deceived  in  that  way,  for  he 
understands  all  the  imaginations  of  the  thoughts. 
He  cares  nothing  for  our  bowings  and  genuflections 
and  well-turned  phrases.  The  chanted  misereres  of 
the  Pharisees  wait  without,  while  the  unstudied  cry 
of  a  penitent  publican  pushes  its  way  to  the  heavenly 
throne. 

But  the  Amen  of  prayer  means  more  than  sin- 
cerity ;  it  implies  the  expectation  of  faith.  As  Jesus 
said,  "  All  things  whatsoever  ye  pray  and  ask  for, 
believe  that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have 
them."  Wonderful  promise !  "If  —  anything  — 
believing  —  ye  shall  have  it!  " — "  For  he  that  com- 
eth  to  God  must  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a 
rewarder  of  them  that  seek  after  him." — Where- 
fore the  word  means  not  only,  "  So  be  it,"  but  "  So 
it  shall  be."  Yet  how  often  we  plead  for  a  bless- 
ing without  expecting  it. 

235 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

In  Dr.  Guthrie's  "  Life  and  Letters  "  he  says  that 
in  a  time  of  drought  he  prayed  at  the  family  altar 
one  Sabbath  morning  for  the  early  and  the  latter 
rains  to  come  down  speedily  on  the  dry  and  thirsty 
land.  The  bell  presently  began  to  ring  and,  when 
the  Doctor  set  out  for  the  Old  Barony,  his  little 
daughter  came  running  after  him  with  an  umbrella. 
"  Oh,  no,  my  dear,"  said  he;  "  there  isn't  a  cloud  in 
the  sky."  Out  of  the  mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings 
we  are  taught  the  simplicity  of  faith. 

Too  often  we  pray  as  mischievous  boys  ring  door- 
bells and  run  away  for  fear  some  one  will  answer 
them.  Thus  we  betray  our  doubt  of  the  promise, 
"  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ;  seek,  and  ye  shall 
find;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you." 

IL  We  say  Amen  when  we  repeat  the  Apostles' 
Creed.  And  there  again  it  means  sincerity.  "  So  I 
have  said;  and,  God  being  my  witness,  I  believe 
every  word  of  it." 

If  so,  how  is  it  that  some  people  are  so  industri- 
ously engaged  in  explaining  it  away?  God,  and 
Christ,  and  the  Holy  Spirit;  the  incarnation,  the 
atonement,  and  the  resurrection  —  all  these  doc- 
trines are  twisted  out  of  their  plain  significance,  as 
in  a  recent  examination  of  candidates  for  the  min- 
istry in  the  Presbytery  of  New  York  —  and  then 
"  Amen  "  is  ushered  in,  like  a  jester  to  amuse  the 
judicatory  with  cap  and  bells. 

In  such  a  case  the  scruples  of  Macbeth  should  set 
one  thinking.     He  says  of  his  conference  with  the 

236 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

two  assassins :  "  One  cried,  '  God  bless  us,'  and 
'  Amen  '  the  other.  As  they  had  seen  me  with  these 
hangman's  hands,  Hstening  their  fear,  I  could  not 
say  Amen  when  they  did  say  '  God  bless  us.'  I  had 
most  need  of  blessing;  and  Amen  stuck  in  my 
throat." 

But  the  Amen  of  the  Creed  means  more  than  sin- 
cerity :  it  implies  consistency  also.  It  is  as  if  one 
said,  "  Not  only  do  I  thus  believe ;  but  thus  I  pro- 
pose to  live." 

A  creed  on  parchment  has  no  value  :  it  is  important 
only  when  translated  into  life  and  character.  It  is 
like  food  which,  on  the  table,  satisfies  no  hunger, 
but  properly  eaten  and  assimilated  is  transmuted 
into  nerve  and  sinew  and  intellectual  strength  and 
efficiency.  The  Amen  of  a  creed  is  the  breadth  of 
holy  purpose  which  makes  it  a  living  thing  with  eyes 
to  see  the  world's  need,  ears  to  hear  the  behest  of 
duty,  and  feet  and  hands  wherewith  to  go  about 
doing  good.  It  takes  the  algebraic  x  out  of  the 
problem  of  life,  reducing  it  to  the  known  terms  of 
love  toward  God  and  our  fellow-men. 

In  the  provision  made  by  the  Jewish  Rabbis  for 
the  conveyance  of  property  occurs  this  singular  sen- 
tence: "  The  estimation  of  a  field  shall  be  accord- 
ing to  the  fruit  thereof."  In  other  words,  the  value 
of  a  field  was  not  to  be  determined  by  its  area  but 
by  its  yield  in  bushels  of  grain.  Our  professions  of 
faith  are  to  be  measured  in  the  same  way.  "  By 
their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them."     "  Not  every  one 

237 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

that  saith  unto  me,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the 
Kingdom,  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven."  "  So  let  your  light  shine  be- 
fore men  that  they  may  see  your  good  works  and 
glorify  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven." 

in.  It  is  our  custom,  moreover,  to  seal  with  the 
word  "  Amen  "  our  Covenant  on  entering  the  fel- 
lowship of  the  Christian  Church.  Here  again  it 
means  sincerity,  as  if  one  said,  "  This  solemn  pledge 
is  no  mere  form;  I  mean  it." 

In  the  historic  revival  at  the  Water  Gate,  where 
the  returned  captives  kept  the  Passover  and  renewed 
their  vows  of  loyalty,  Ezra  blessed  Jehovah,  the 
great  God;  and  all  the  people  answered  "  Amen  and 
Amen."  With  a  like  purpose  did  we  enter  on  the  re- 
sponsibilities of  the  Christian  life,  saying,  "  High 
heaven,  that  hears  the  solemn  vow,  that  vow  re- 
newed shall  daily  hear."  Do  we  still  so  deeply, 
cordially,  sincerely  feel  it? 

But  while  the  Amen  of  our  Covenant  sounds  the 
lowest  depths  of  emotion,  it  rises  and  radiates  and 
suffuses  all  the  higher  surfaces  of  life.  It  permits 
no  reservation  in  our  commitment  to  the  service  of 
Christ. 

^At  the  siege  of  Fort  Donelson,  when  General 
Buckner  asked  for  an  armistice  that  terms  of  capitu- 
lation might  be  discussed,  the  memorable  answer  of 
Grant  was,  "  The  only  terms  that  can  be  considered 
are  unconditional  surrender."  And  these  are  the 
only  terms  on  which  Christ  receives  us.     We  must 

238 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

needs  pass  under  his  yoke.  "  Subjugation  "  is  the 
word;  from  suh-jiigum,  meaning  under  the  yoke. 
"If  any  man  will  come  after  me  let  him  deny  him- 
self, and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me." 

There  are  no  conditions  in  this  surrender.  There 
can  be  no  reservation  of  any  small  back-chamber  in 
the  heart  of  a  man.  There  can  be  no  cherishing  of 
a  darling  sin.  There  can  be  no  withholding  of  any 
moment  of  time,  any  atom  of  strength,  any  farthing 
of  earthly  treasure.  All  or  nothing!  "Thee  my 
new  Master  now  I  call,  and  consecrate  to  thee  my 
all."  This  is  the  Amen  of  the  Covenant.  Paul 
says  it  is  "  bringing  every  thought  into  captivity  to 
the  obedience  of  Christ."     (II  Cor.  10:5.) 

But  there  are  two  parties  to  every  Covenant. 
God  as  the  "  party  of  the  first  part "  meets  us  more 
than  half  way  with  two  great  Amens ;  as  it  is  writ- 
ten, "  God,  being  minded  to  show  more  abundantly 
unto  the  heirs  of  the  promise  the  immutability  of 
his  counsel,  interposed  with  an  oath ;  that  by  two  im- 
mutable things,  in  which  it  is  impossible  for  God  to 
lie,  we  may  have  a  strong  encouragement,  who  have 
fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  of  the  hope  set  before  us." 
(Heb.  6:18.) 

One  of  these  "  immutable  things  "  is  the  Word. 
Its  promises  are  Yea  and  Amen.  The  Bible  is  the 
one  book  in  the  world's  literature  that  speaks  with- 
out ifs  or  perhapses  or  peradventures.  Its  affirma- 
tions all  rest  in  a  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord."  And  on 
its  last  page  burns  this  beacon :     "If  any  man  shall 

239 


THE  APOSTLES'  CREED 

add  unto  these  God  shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues 
which  are  written  in  this  book ;  and  if  any  man  shall 
take  away  from  its  words  God  shall  take  away  his 
part  from  the  tree  of  life.  .  .  .  Yea,  I  come  quickly. 
Amen." 

The  other  of  the  immutable  things  is  God's  oath : 
and  his  oath  is  Christ,  in  whom  he  certifies,  "  As  I 
live,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the 
death  of  the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from 
his  way  and  live."  The  other  name  of  Christ  is, 
"The  Yea  and  Amen;  the  Faithful  and  True  Wit- 
ness." He  speaks  with  authority :  "  Amen,  Amen, 
I  say  unto  you."  And  when  he  speaks,  the  last  word 
is  spoken  as  to  spiritual  and  eternal  life. 

Between  these  two  Amens  —  the  written  and  in- 
carnate Word  —  we  stand  as  between  Jachin  and 
Boaz,  the  pillars  of  the  Temple,  saying  *'  So  be  it." 
We  rest  in  the  authority  of  the  immutable,  binomial, 
complete  and  final  Word  of  God. 

Oh,  this  is  a  wonderful  word!  The  saints  in 
heaven  have  not  forgotten  it.  In  the  visions  of  the 
Apocalypse  they  are  heard  saying,  "  Unto  him  that 
sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  be  the 
blessing  and  the  honor  and  the  glory  and  the  domin- 
ion, forever  and  ever.  Amen."  May  we  be  there 
to  join  in  that  Amen!  But  if  we  are,  it  will  be  be- 
cause we  attune  our  hearts  to  utter  it  here  and  now. 


240 


